Son of a Warg! - Book Three: Demon Within
by CA Productions
Summary: Third book of the series 'Son of a Warg' - The new world opens new opportunities for all who enter it. Including the self-appointed new Dark Lord. However, the Valar's hands reach far, herding the life of all those who exist, hindering all that they deem unworthy. But it all changes when a new puppet master appears.
1. Home Sweet Home

Description: The new world opens new opportunities for all who enter it. Including the self-appointed new Dark Lord. However, the Valar's hands reach far, herding the life of all those who exist, hindering all that they deem unworthy. But it all changes when a new puppet master appears.

 **Cubby: Mwahahahaha!**

 **Hyano: Mwahahahahaha!**

 **Ren: Mwahahahahaha!**

 **Avp: Mwahahahaha!**

 **Cubby: Mwahahahaha!**

 **Hyano: Mwahahahahaha!**

 **Ren: Mwahahahahaha!**

 **Avp: Mwahahahaha... Huhhh... *Looks around out of breath* So... Why are we laughing again?**

* * *

 **Hello and welcome to our third book of Son of a Warg. We hope you are going to enjoy this as much as the last two.**

 **Well, this book is going to be a bit darker and we will try to cover a lot of things, along with Hyano's and Ren's adventures in the new world. You surely noticed that in the previous book we introduced new characters. That wasn't just coincidence. They will have some nice main roles in this book. So in the end, Hyano and Ren will share some spotlight with others from now on to expand on the story a bit. They all will have their own place in the story, so pay attention to them.**

 **You also surely noticed a few... strange things happening. Some unexplained changes in behavior, changes of mind, voices appearing out of nowhere influencing the characters...**

 **That was no mistake.**

 **We hope we managed to catch your attention. So without further ado...**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** We don't own LotR, but we own the plot of this story, and all that was created outside what Tolkien included in his books. Cublove owns Hyano, the Orange Wizard, Avpke owns Ren the Nazgul. All OCs and custom races appearing in this story are our creations. Please don't steal anything.

* * *

Chapter 1 - Home Sweet Home

Imagine that all life that ever came to be started with a plain empty book, lying on a stand in darkness, a dim ray of light shining on it as if showing and promising potential. Once the life is born, the book opens and from there on one writes their own story with every action one does, with every word one speaks and every thought one keeps to themselves.

Some books get to be short, others go on for millions of pages. One person would be proud to reread their story, another would push it away, embracing the chance of forgetting. But it does not matter in the end... One is part of a system of stories which is written by so many hands. Even the smallest of glance at a stranger, just a fleeting thought of a possibility... That is all one needs to write one's name into another book.

Now imagine that a world itself starts plain and simple with no true meaning or direction. The life that is making its home in it will be the one defining its story and path. Their choices and actions entwine with one another, creating a masterpiece. Everyone has their own place, their own role in the story. If one is missing... then the story will not be complete. If one adds more... Well... Then the story changes.

But if the change is worth it or not...

Well...

Hyano is about to find out.

The golden wooden parts of the dock made themselves known by peeking out of the persistent thick fog, its presence giving the tired travelers the promise of dry and solid land under their feet. The relieving magic, the gentle tune of birds and the scent of fresh grass was tempting, inviting, making the orange wizard stand on the boat before they even got the chance to arrive. Her green eyes tried to penetrate the blanket of fog but all she saw were faint forms and shadows of those who stood on the other side. But she could hear the voices that chanted in unison, the song of a spell sounding around her, echoing in the air, the magic answering to their call by swirling and creating the path required for them to enter.

The elf, Fieven, padded towards the sound, gazing behind him at the tree herder family who were tightly following behind them before guiding the boat next to the wooden steps, which of course looked very new compared to the one in Middle-Earth. Along the wooden dock elves of various sizes and ages were standing, now releasing concentration on the spell at the sight of the newcomers, among them was a familiar white-robed figure standing silently.

Hyano looked along the dock as if searching and instantly she felt her eyes water at the sight of the one man she had missed more than anything.

"... Gandalf..." She breathed before jumping up in one leap and had tackled the old man, hugging him as tightly as she could. To say she had missed him would be an understatement. He had been the equivalent of an uncle in her life. Teaching her what he could. He also stood by her when no one else would, had never given up on her good nature. He knew her more than she knew herself, showed her things she thought she never had in her. While her greatest and closest teacher was Radagast... Gandalf was the one who opened her eyes to the world as what it was, who gave her wisdom and the knowledge that sometimes words have a greater power than any spell or any incantation. Most of all... he taught her how to be herself, how to have fun and how to let go of the worries in the world if only just for a moment, to refresh her mind so she could give her dedication to the cause in earnest. She could thank so much to him, had so many memories... It would be a shock if she did not act the way she did and did not shed the tears that formed in her green ees at the sight of the friend she did not see for thousands of years.

To say the least, the man was surprised by the sheer strength and force she put into the hug and swayed back a little but held fast luckily, wrapping his arms around her form, putting his chin on top of her head in a silent means of protection and support. His blue eyes also started to be filled with tears which were already ready to fall when his eyes first fell on the girl in the boat but refused to let them fall. Well, not yet with the elves watching, who right now gathered around them, a little farther away and around the young elf who brought her here.

"Hyano..." The old man started, his voice trembling slightly as emotions swirled within his heart. He was so glad that she was here, relieved that nothing bad happened to her while he left her behind. Many days he just spent sitting in one spot, thinking over what he told her, what he taught her and advised, finding flaws which made him worry all the more. However, he had a job to do, an important task which could not wait. Returning to her was impossible. And she needed to find her place on her own in Middle-Earth, protect the humans from the lasting darkness until it vanished... or spread. Whichever happened in Middle-Earth. He had no information about it. "... We missed you, and I was wondering how you fare in Middle-Earth all alone..."

The orange istar relaxed into the hug, enjoying every second. When he spoke of Middle-Earth she clutched him a little tighter before pulling back to look up at him.

"While this world seems to have fared well... the one that you left behind... Man has done much that I doubt even the Dark Lord would... I was able to be a voice of reason for a while but... there was really nothing I could do..." She told him honestly and sadly. Looking up into his eyes she knew that she didn't have much time. The sun was much stronger here and gave her strength but the magical flow was put to a stop as soon as Ren was transformed into the statue. She needed to speak to him soon if she wanted to survive. "The always present dominating nature of Man won over with time. They did not need Sauron to start wars and murder those who they did not deem worthy of their society. They lost all the purity that you and the elves left in their heart and now have no respect for nature, for animals, instead slaughter them for joy and laughter. They became the disease of their own world..." It was hard for her to speak of them like this. But just because she was disappointed in them, it didn't make it less true. The White wizard had to know.

The smile that was on Gandalf's aged face was slowly vanishing as she spoke about how the world he left behind started to change from the one that was... from the one he worked on so hard and suffered for it greatly... to something so deformed. But now... all of this was in vain? What she was saying was the truth? It must be... why would she lie? Man always was too easy to sway with a simple gold piece. They were of weaker mind and were too selfish in general to see just how destructive they truly were. Even when he was there he could see the looming danger. There were many kind-hearted people but they were greatly outweighed by the wrong kind. They were not bad people, of course. Just that they were too easily influenced. Some needed just a few coins. Others did not need any reason.

The White wizard shook his head, pulling away just a little to look at her, his eyes holding the disappointment he felt towards Man. He left them with a clean, pure and rich land which waited for their reign... Yet here they are, destroying it instead? This was almost too shocking to believe... But he believed Hyano.

"Seems like they leaned towards darkness after all... It isn't their fault... I think we made a mistake somewhere. We will need to look into it all and find it before it also creates madness here..." He quickly commented, his eyes moving as he thought, not blaming humanity for what happened but blamed himself for it all. He had a hand in their development, after all. He shaped and molded their path, tried to herd them to a bright future like a good shepherd but... "I failed." This time, however, he will be more careful.

"Gandalf." The orange wizard shook her head, putting her hands on her hips and tapped the ground with a foot, staring at him with narrowed eyes. "Since when is this your fault? You weren't even there when things started to go south. I was there and even I could not stop it." She reasoned, thinking back to the days when she attempted to be the voice of reason but the more magic left the world, the more the past left their memories, the less they listened to her. "If anyone is to blame it is me... I failed the task you gave me." She admitted but did not feel sad about it. There was nothing she could do. The world simply took its own course and had its own plans. She lost her power due to the lack of magic and the passing of time. It was simply an impossible task. Perhaps even Gandalf knew it.

The White wizard simply watched her, raising a white eyebrow at her attitude which he thought he forgot about. A smile soon graced his lips and sighed, finding her way of defending him quite touching but he knew better than to believe her or blame her for it.

"I have watched them grow, Hyano." He uttered and shifted his blue gaze towards the sea in front of them, watching the calm waves and the sunlight which danced on their surface, creating random beautiful patterns. The sun and water were truly great artists. "I have shaped their past and so I have a hand in their future. An istar's involvement goes into the roots of a world." He paused and looked at her with a smile. "Do not worry... Soon you will be part of that."

His last sentence stopped the orange wizard in her tracks when she was about to argue this. She truly did not know what it meant but she could tell he had plans for her and she would be fool thinking it will be something easy. She could probably expect something like this to be said to her sooner or later but this made things a bit more difficult.

"Also..." Hyano spoke up, hesitating a bit to continue. Maybe she didn't think this one through completely but she knew she had to tell him, now that the mood was set and he clearly was expecting great things from her. It was now or never. To start this was easy but now that she had his attention, it suddenly felt hard for her to continue. It was as if... she was afraid she might disappoint him. But she should know him already and he should know her. Instead of saying anything more, she simply turned a little, then pointed towards the statue in the boat. There was no point hiding. Gandalf was going to find out the moment he saw it anyway. However, keeping her words few when it came to the wraith was wise. These elves... some of them were all from a world of peace. They would not be able to handle this. Not yet anyway. "We should probably talk about it later." She made sure to add.

Gandalf only frowned when she gestured towards the boat which was still in the dock, noting something was... inside, yet from this point of view he couldn't really tell. From her tone he could tell it was something important, something meaningful, maybe even something urgent but she would have told him about it if this could not wait. So for now, he nodded nonetheless, wanting to get everything settled before talking about anything serious. Because if she wanted to not speak of this, he will not force her.

"Alright then... Let us get you to a comfortable place. You surely are hungry and..." He trailed off, suddenly aware of the murmurs coming from the elves as they started approaching and observing the newcomers they did not expect to come along. A family with children as it seemed. He himself was confused at first, as their magic was faint so could not truly recognize. They were nothing that he saw before on Middle-Earth. They were like humans, yet were not at the same time. Their skin was dark, their frame was diverse but that was not the most prominent that set them apart. It was their visible purity.

While the two wizards talked, the tree herder family also touched the dock. The father stepped off first, holding his scared daughter trying to calm her down. With him were his wife -Holly-, son -Cane- and eldest daughter -Rosa. The latter stood with her arms crossed. She would never admit it but this world scared her as well along with the people in it. They were strange. They had bigger eyes, unusual ears, they were too tall for her liking and all too expressive. Sure, the wizard had told them about this but to finally see it... it was awe inspiring and enough to scare them even if only a little.

Of course, their insecurity caused even more curiosity from the elves who felt little threatened but majorly uncertain about their purpose here. They were not told about this family, so began to talk among themselves and enclosed the spooked herders in a circle, observing them, guessing but also keeping them from doing any harm if they happened to be brought here due to the danger they pose to the world they left. They did not seem to be a threat but one might never know. Given their history, the migrated elves were the ones teaching caution to all those around when it came to strange creatures.

Hyano relaxed as Gandalf didn't seem to panic over what was in the boat. Well, she wasn't certain if she should be glad or be worried a bit for it. Glad because he did not press the subject and worried because it might shock him if he took it so lightly now. When he turned his gaze to the unnerved family she could only smile.

"Hold on a second." She said, then walked over to the ent people. The father of the group handed his scared daughter over to her without hesitation. The little one buried her face into the wizard's shoulder as she made her way back to Gandalf. "Gandalf. Meet Lilly. The youngest of the Razorleaf family." She said, brushing the little girl's hair before encouraging her to look up.

The little girl sniffled a bit, clearly uncomfortable with the crowd and looked up teary eyed and scared, her big dark brown orbs meeting the White's gentle blue ones.

"H-hello mister Gandalf." She said, speaking in a mix of a tree whisper yet in human speech. Her ancestor had been named Razorleaf. When he had a family he took up a human name and used his herder name as his family name. That way his family could never forget where they came from even though they would never look like they once had.

The old wizard could only blink at first but the smile that vanished from his face came back rather quickly and lifted his hand slowly to brush away the tear that fell and dripped down her cheek.

"Razorleaf? So, they are from the tree herders!" He exclaimed, suddenly happy and surprised at the same time, having recognized the name of that specific herder while he stroked the girl's cheek with his thumb. "Hello there, little one. Know that you came from the line of a very strong and caring tree herder. He was one of the batch which I took care of when he was very small." He chuckled, remembering the times when he was standing and sitting around the small herders, spending his time in silence until they were ready to leave him. Except the times when they chased leaves and each other nonstop.

The wizard looked up from the little girl and finally observed the descendants of Razorleaf. This was why they were so different when he first saw them and felt them. But what baffled him was the sheer similarity to humans when it came to looks. One might think they were a breed of Man and not children of tree herders. The transformation was unbelievable. Perhaps it was just a development among generations and perhaps interbreeding with humans. Or maybe it was part of the spell? He honestly did not know and right now he was too overwhelmed to think about it. He will talk to them more once they made themselves comfortable, seeing they were rather uneasy among the elves who were cautious around them. He might as well answer to that too.

"Now... let's get the family away from the curious elves. They don't mean harm but can be a little... distrusting." He chuckled again, shaking his head before gesturing for Hyano to tell the family to follow them before he nodded at one of the elves, signaling him that they are no harm to the world but are welcome to the new world they referred to as Outer-Earth.

In the mean time a separate group of elves actually managed to follow the disturbing aura of irritation and darkness that they started to feel as time passed to the boat, where they started murmuring, instantly recognizing the shape of the statue that was still resting peacefully in the belly of the boat.

"What do you see?" One of the native elves asked when he noticed that a comrade of his was peaking inside the boat, having located it as the source of the disturbing aura. It did not come as a shock. If one was not such a pure being as them, it would have probably gone unnoticed, as its concentration grew gradually. They knew that taking a look and suspecting is disrespectful towards the wizard but it was rather bothersome.

"A... statue?" The other one replied, frowning at the carved form that stared back at him. It was not in its natural position for sure. He was puzzled, unsure why the istar would drag something like this over the sea. It was pointless. They could carve another one if she wanted but something told him it was more than that. "I don't know there is just... something..." He trailed off as he stared at it, breathing in the cold air that plagued the boat now. He could not help but pull back from it, suddenly a feeling of dread overcoming him. This caused the others in their vicinity to shift their attention towards them and their object of curiosity.

"Why would she bring a statue?" The same elf asked, shaking his head in disbelief and shifted his gaze towards the talking wizards. They were powerful magical beings. Maiar. Surely she had a reason to bring it over. Maybe it has some kind of magical properties? Well... properties that he rather backed away from.

Their murmuring among themselves did not go unnoticed as now a much older elf stepped closer to the duo, taking an interest in what they found in the boat. A statue? From Middle-Earth? Didn't Gandalf tell her to not bring anything from that world to this? It could taint them and-...

"This feeling..." He suddenly whispered, his clear blue eyes quickly snapping towards the boat and its content as soon as he stepped into a specific distance, where the cold aura it emitted could be felt. Unlike the native elves who met no dark creature, this one had a close enough experience with them in Middle-Earth. He knew what he was feeling and he wasn't about to let it slide. He pressed himself through the crowd that formed and once he reached the boat his eyes widened.

He recognized the shape. The empty hood... the gauntlets... the spiked boots... That cloak. The sheer cold and darkness it spewed. There was no question. The form of these creatures was etched in the mind of all elves who met them. The ellon observed it, his gaze travelling the smallest details of the statue, just to try and ease his mind that he made a mistake. But there was none that he could find. The aura told him everything he needed to know and confirmed his suspicion.

"It is a bad omen..." He said to the others and pulled away panting, gritting his teeth as if his own essence was ripped from him as he tried to put distance between himself and that thing in the boat. The others watched him, glancing towards the boat cautiously. "A wraith was brought to us... A creature of darkness and corruption..."

They shuddered and stepped back in fright and disgust, some even walked back to the others before a larger crowd started forming around it. Everyone stood in shock about how and why this creature was brought here. They couldn't imagine a reason for bringing darkness into a world which was just now on the way of developing. The murmurs started to be louder, finally attracting Gandalf's attention, who just gazed at them with confusion.

Hyano nodded, gesturing for the family to come before noting the commotion. They were around the boat and looked frightened enough. So much for speaking with Gandalf about it later when everything calmed down. Seems like things will only get better and better from here on. She had to calm them down and listen to her before they toss Ren into the sea and sentence her to death with it, thanks to the connection they share.

"Everyone!" She shouted and waited for a moment before repeating her call but as it seemed, they were too busy trying to find out what to do with this statue that did not belong into this world. "Hey!" She called again but her voice easily got lost in the chattering of the crowd. She sighed and looked towards the eldest daughter, giving her an annoyed look, although this was not meant towards her person but at the all too curious and distrusting elves.

"Do you mind?" She asked with a nod towards the crowd and the daughter nodded before sticking two fingers in her mouth and let out a very loud whistle to get the crowd's attention.

"Hey! Shut your traps!" Came the sharp and loud voice of the eldest herder daughter, Rosa, who was already at the edge of her patience and nerve thanks to the unusual surroundings, smells, feelings and the fact that she felt tense with so many pairs of eyes observing her. She was used to being alone and left alone... Now she felt like she was in a zoo and she was the main attraction. Her current gesture didn't make things better but at least it will not last long.

Well, let's say that the elves were rather surprised by the sharp noise and the rather... strange way the child seemed to say to go quiet. They didn't understand the sentence fully as the phrase was foreign in this situation but this shock did the job and everyone fell silent to hear what Hyano had to say.

Hyano facepalmed, not exactly expecting her to say that but what else can one expect from a teen girl. She then put the little one down onto the ground, making sure she was standing firmly before letting her go a bit carefully.

"Alright, I believe we might as well do this now. If you haven't figured it out yet... the thing in there is a wraith. One of the Nine." She was interrupted by gasps of shock and sudden cries of elves as their gazes found the motionless statue in the boat once again. Some stepped back, others unsheathed their weapons to get rid of the threat that plagued them all of a sudden. This did not come unexpectedly, so Hyano made sure to quickly continue, putting her hands out to try and calm the crowd. "He is stone and as long as we don't touch he will stay that way." She explained and looked over them all, seeing their unease but what was done had been done.

"Then why bring it to us?" Came the shout of the same older ellon who spotted the danger in the first place. He had a quite close encounter with one of these beings and he wasn't about to repeat it. He had his share of experience to know what they can do and what potential they have. Now, one of them was here, while it should have been destroyed.

"I couldn't leave him behind because not only would the humans find out how to destroy themselves with him but my magic is tied to him, so without him I will die." The whispers and murmurs seemed to die down for the moment at the mention of this little detail, although she wasn't sure if was out of shock or they waited for Gandalf to say something. But she gave no such chance. "Any questions or are we all up to speed?" She asked, crossing her arms.

The herder family did not seem worried about this, seeing as they had already met the wraith. While he was a dark creature they trusted Hyano and didn't view him as a threat. At least for the moment. He was quite strange and seemed to be driven by pure instinct of a wild animal but otherwise he thankfully followed Hyano's requests. This put some relief on the worry they might feel.

While the elves still had to process the news, Gandalf instantly knew which wraith the young wizard brought along and grit his teeth at the quick realization, suspecting something was off as it was. There were thousand questions and thoughts swirling in his already occupied mind and knew this needed a very thorough discussion as soon as possible. He quickly lashed out and pulled Hyano back so he could talk to her about this in private.

Just Hyano, him and the few hundred pairs of sharp elven ears.

As soon as he stopped a little distance away his eyes narrowed and crossed his arms over his white robed chest, looking at Hyano in silence at first, his gaze scolding her even without needing to say a word.

"It is him, isn't it." It obviously wasn't a question, just a statement which awaited confirmation. "Why didn't you just destroy him when you first saw him? You knew they are dangerous... They could destroy the world even quicker than a population of humans could... And what is this about you being bound to him in magic? Was this a trick so he can stay alive at your side?" He asked one question after the other and obviously expected answer for each of them, leaning towards the fact that she might remember... For two reasons. Because he couldn't feel the magical aura of the spell he put on her and because that wraith was here, met her again, so surely triggered memories that should have been buried in the deepest corners of her mind for eternity.

Hyano looked up at him, crossing her arms, mimicking the same movement he made not a moment ago and her own green eyes met his blue ones in a determined fashion, not flickering, not wandering for just a single second.

"Yes. It is him and no, I had no idea what I was looking at because you blocked everything to do with him. Remember? When I saw him in the display I knew he was a dark creature but I had no idea 'who' I was looking at. When I touched him... I broke him out of his stone prison... but I also permanently bound us..." She paused but before he could even say a single word she continued. "If you haven't noticed I'm not taking in any magic... I can't. This place is full of it but without Ren I can't touch it. He can't either. I was able to convince him to let me turn him back to stone... I should have enough magic to last a few days... Maybe." She explained, then shook her head. "As for how dangerous he is... Sorry but he is nowhere near as dangerous as humans... They have done things that would make the Dark Lord himself cringe... I was not leaving one piece of him behind for them to try and use." She said bluntly, remembering the horror the humans were capable of doing. These same humans were thousand times saved and supported by the creatures of light over and over... and yet... they paid them back by destroying everything they fought for. They didn't need Sauron to destroy Middle-Earth. Man became its own vermin and was sapping it of all its resources until there will be no more.

Gandalf shook his head, his very strict and scolding look staying, fixed on Hyano relentlessly. For a moment he wanted to deny all that he heard, that maybe his mind was playing tricks on him but he had to realize that what she said indeed left her mouth and it all was nothing else than the truth according to her heartbeat and eyes.

"Maybe I blocked everything that had anything to do with him to protect you but I didn't block the knowledge about the wraiths and how much danger they pose. You should have blasted that statue into pieces once you saw him..." He pointed out, not shouting but firmly scolding her wrong decision, stepping closer to the orange wizard. "And now we got into this trouble... How do you think it is going to work? If you two are bound then we have to tolerate him but the elves won't. Neither can we afford to. He might end up corrupting this world and releasing his dark aura into materials, into pieces that are just now developing. We cannot let him stay alive..." He whispered, his mind already working on some solutions to their problem. If the two are indeed bound, then he cannot get rid of the Nazgul without killing her. According to the problem, they will need to tie both of them to something else instead of each other... Which might take too long... But he refused to give up on Hyano... "We need to think... I will get someone to watch the statue in the boat while we think of some kind of solution... For now, let us go. You and the family need food and rest. The trip was surely tiring." The White wizard suggested, for now willing to push this trouble to the side and let them settle in before doing anything about Ren.

Hyano shook her head.

"You know what you have to do, Gandalf." She said firmly, wanting him to eventually make the choice she knew he had to. It would save them all a lot of chaos to come if he did. He knew how Ren influenced her. The way he made her run away with him in Moria. The way he made her kill things and produce an army for him. The way he made her fight him... He didn't have to make the choice now but it had to be made soon. She didn't say anything else about it, though, as she waved for the family to come along.

"I don't know yet..." He whispered back before averting his gaze, his eyes softening and turning towards the elves who still looked at the statue, anger clearly written all over their features. They found the presence of the dark creature unsettling and unneeded. They were irritated by the magic and aura it emitted and were validly concerned about the influence he is going to have over the world. They couldn't afford to have him roam around. But Gandalf also couldn't afford destroying him just yet. Not yet. There must be a solution... With this Nazgul gone, Hyano will have a much clearer future among them. Right now -knowing what she said- he knew she herself might not be sure about which side she was on. This was something he didn't want to think about. It shouldn't even be a question which side she was on. She was an istar... a creature of light. No matter what happened in the past, the race of Man was the best example for that. Despite their upbringing and development, despite the teachings of elves and the istari... they still turned out to be the most evil of Middle-Earth as it seemed. What made Gandalf different from the other istari was that he believed in and used wisdom and clear thoughts instead of emotion-ridden decisions. He never speculated. This was why he refused to make a decision. He will mediate on this and perhaps let time decide their fate. Sometimes it was not about decisions but about destiny.

As Hyano gestured for the family to move, Gandalf turned briefly to glance at the boat with worry before something caught his eye. The little girl from the family, standing all alone, staring towards the vast sea, towards her past home. He sighed, shaking his head, feeling his nerves softening and his mood slightly lifting, the usual comforting nature of the wizard taking over for a little while. The White wizard saw the fright and uncertainty in her deep brown eyes and decided it might be time he swept away any worry she might have for her home or her family.

The teen girl, Rosa stayed behind as her family moved on, answering to the call of the Orange wizard. She stayed on the docks, looking back the way they came. Only a few moments here and already she wanted to go home. Sure, she would be back at the school where everyone looked at her strangely, bullied her and she would be forced to live her life on her own but this place was just... too unusual. It scared her. She would never admit it, of course. These elves... She read about them already but they didn't look like the way she imagined them to be. They were so tall, so perfect. And now here she was with her strange looks... She would never be able to fit in. At least back at Middle-Earth there were people who looked at least somewhat like her. The way they were being treated already was not helping either. The way they looked at her... It was unnerving for the teen, so she shuddered and let her arms wrap around herself.

"We shouldn't have come." She grumbled.

Gandalf slowly walked over to her, hearing her words and the meaning behind it. She regretted coming... or never wanted to come in the first place. But now... they cannot return. It was a one-way trip. So, she will have to accept this place as her new home. But for this... the people also needed to accept them.

"How do you know? Have you seen this place before?" He asked from behind her and walked next to her, stopping at the shore and watching the blue foggy sea, his blue eyes meeting the sight of the horizon.

The teen looked at the wizard timidly, then looked back towards the crystal clear blue waters below where she observed the small fish as they swam under the docks, clearly looking for their next meal.

"... They don't even want us here... Even if we didn't bring that thing along... They haven't stopped staring since we got here..." She replied, feeling like she was still in school with the other students, getting stared at because she was different. The number of teens that looked like herself were few because there were only 3 tree herders who had created families. Even after all this time that was not enough to really make a lot of their kind among all the humans and many forgot they were even herders so it didn't matter. "... I didn't even want to come. I had friends back home... Now... what if no one here ever likes me...?" She said. It was the same thing many her age said when they were forced to move for one reason or another. No matter what age they were... the worry of not fitting in was only natural.

The wizard chuckled and lifted a hand to stroke her dark thick hair gently.

"I for one like you." He told her with a raised eyebrow. Well, at least he had no reason to dislike her so far. She was one of those 'lost children' who saw no reason to look towards tomorrow but stayed in yesterday and so did not live for today. She needed a small push to see past her worries. His blue gaze wandered for a moment before finally landing on the young elf they sent to Middle-Earth. They must have exchanged words before they came to this world. "I am sure that young elf likes you too. The elves will like you, you must not worry. They are just..." He trailed off, trying to find the right words he was going to use. "... not used to you. But elves are accepting towards those who wish no harm to their kind and lands. They will be your friends, you will see." He tried reassuring her and sighed, looking out over the sea which their sight could reach from all the fog. "Take this as a... new adventure. Do you like adventures? You came to a world which is still in development, you can see all its wonders, see all the creatures as one of the firsts, see everything, experience creation. Perhaps even... see the little brothers of your ancestor." He added with a smile, his blue eyes moving down to look at her. "All you need to do is want it. And if they all see you want to fit in, they will let you. But if you are distant... they won't know how to come closer to you... Leave them a chance."

Rosa looked at him and relaxed under his touch a little before blinking when he talked about the elf. She hadn't even considered him. She assumed he was just an escort and did not look for new friends among those who he was in charge of. Maybe he was tolerating them because he had to. She thought for a moment, then heard him turn this whole situation into more of a challenge. If there was any way to get a teen girl working hard it was to challenge her. She smiled a little then nodded.

"Fine... But if they don't stop staring I'm going to have to start punching faces." She said with a grin, joking... only a little bit. She then turned and looked at the young ellon before walking towards him cautiously.

Gandalf couldn't help but laugh loudly at what the girl said, shaking his head at her clearly daring and rebellious attitude. He met many such children before in Middle-Earth, so knew what to expect, so did not worry about her. She could take care of herself but will still need the much needed support. However, only when she asked for it. At this age children tend to seem daring and want to show everyone they can look out for themselves. So, he did not stand in her way.

"Alright then but give them a few weeks. Then you may punch faces." He chuckled before walking over to Hyano and the rest of the family, on the way asking a few elves to watch the statue in the boat. No one should touch it until he was to be awakened. If ever. "Well, this was sorted out. She will be fine with Fieven. The boy will tire her out soon." He reassured them, knowing the ellon quite well from the past, hence why he sent him on the trip instead of anyone else. He was one of the first half native and half migrated elf to be born in this world. He was a talk-active elf and made acquaintances easily and wasn't as cautious as the others like a native one. But he was excellent with the bow and more than capable of fending off any danger like those from Middle-Earth. One the one hand, that was a good thing, since he could be more direct and friendly but this also made him vulnerable when it came to emotions. He then gesturing forward, showing them to the house where he lived. It was only a little distance away from the docks, a little temporary shack of his own made of woods, reminding many of Radagast's old shack. Made of wood, simple and extremely inflammable.

"Thank you. We were worried she might not do very well here. She was not very happy about our choice in coming here." The girl's mother, Holly admitted, holding the hand of her son, Cane. Both he and his father had yet to say anything. It was a common trait in the males of their species. They just didn't talk much, choosing to listen instead. The women were quiet by human standards but did speak a lot in comparison to the men.

Hyano smiled a bit at this, holding Lilly in her arms again after having put her down for a moment when she spoke to the crowd before.

"She will do fine. If I remember right that girl is not afraid to fight when someone doesn't treat her right." The orange wizard pointed out before seeing the shack and smiled. "The last time I saw a shack like that was... Oh, wow I don't even know." She admitted with a grin, taking the small home as a welcomed sight.

Gandalf couldn't help but smile at her reaction as he walked past the happy wizard and patted her shoulder, inviting her closer to his temporary home.

"And you will see many other shacks like this. We tend to build many such homes while we wander. Especially so early in creation and that many istari walking the land. We usually meet sometimes at these shacks, although... rarely does it happen. We all have our own regions and tasks." He explained as they walked closer before opening the door and stepped aside, letting the young wizard and the family enter first, then closed the door behind them as he stepped in as well.

The shack was rather simple but of course had more order than Radagast's hut. The ingredients of many potions and gels were neatly organized, the food was all stacked away and books were all in their respective places on the bookshelves. Alright, normally Gandalf wasn't as organized either but he did make the effort this time so Hyano can feel more comfortable. Good thing he did. They ended up with more visitors. He offered them seats at the wooden table before stopping in front of them.

"Would you like something to eat or drink? Right now we don't have much. We usually don't take anything to store away at such an early stage of the world. That would harm the fragile nature." He informed them but already looked around for some glass and perhaps some water from the river not far. He might have some fruits somewhere as well... Not much but should be enough for now.

The family took a seat and the mother shook her head. "We are fine for now. Thank you." She said with a soft smile.

Hyano froze as some of his words hit her all of a sudden.

"M-many?" She said, then looked at him. "Th-there are more of us?" She asked. Radagast and Saruman had both died. The blues had gone missing, presumed dead. No one wanted to talk about what happened to their star wizard, Asteri, who was the teacher of the Rohirrin prince so many Ages ago. How had they gotten more? Actually she didn't care! They could be elves turned istari for all she cared! Knowing that she and Gandalf weren't the last... That was fantastic! "When can I meet them?" She requested eagerly.

Gandalf hummed as he searched through the shack as if he did not hear her excited question, looking for the few glasses he kept around, his blue eyes surveying their rather small environment, taking his time. The shack wasn't big after all. He gasped when he found what he was looking for and turned, placing a glass in front of each family member before pouring them some water. While they didn't ask for it, less tree herder-ish or not, they surely needed to drink something. Maybe the sight of water will ease their tension and will relax a little. Finally, the White chuckled and turned to her, sitting down as he poured some water for her as well.

"Well... turns out the missing istari were all here. Pallando, Alatar and Asteri are all scattered around the new world, doing their own tasks and of course new istari were sent by the Valar to help us out. Our Order is working again with a complete hierarchy and a member count of seven, you included. Outer-Earth, as it is called, is larger than Middle-Earth was, so the help is welcome."

Hyano grinned. Really? She took a seat gladly, though her mind was miles away thinking of the new istari she was soon to meet. She couldn't wait but she would have to in this case. The Valar sent more of her kind... and some were still here. That was fantastic!

The family was a little surprised when despite their answer they were given water anyway. However the boy happily took the offer and blinked at its taste.

"It... tastes strange." He said, not sure how to describe it. It wasn't a bad taste. However, he was so used to water that lacked magic that having water which was in a way a new level of purity just struck him as... odd.

Gandalf watched her and sighed, shaking his head a little at the smile and excitement he could read from her features, guessing what she must be thinking of. Of course, he wasn't against the idea of taking her with him on one of his trips but he was more than sure that she will have her own tasks given out soon, so they will have to go on separate ways. Meeting only rarely...

"Do not be so excited, Hyano." He decided to warn her, pouring some water for himself as well and lifted the glass to his lips to take a sip. "They are far away and have their duties, which you will soon receive from the Valar as well. Everyone has their own tasks and contribution to any world created." The White explained with a smile, only averting his gaze from her when he heard the comment of the little boy. He raised a white eyebrow at it and stared at him before frowning and tasting his own water again, just to make sure nothing is wrong with it. "It tastes fine... Perhaps you find it strange because it isn't exactly... the same water you drank on Middle-Earth." He smiled at the boy, explaining, reaching over to ruffle his already curly hair. "It is entwined with magic, the life force of this world at the moment. Nature is weak right now and we need to prepare Outer-Earth for her reign."

Hyano cringed a little at his words, knowing too well he was right. She nodded. She would get her orders from the Valar soon enough. Part of her worried about what these orders might be... though if she was right... she already knew. She gripped her glass before nodding. She then looked at the boy and smiled, taking a drink of the water herself. She tasted the difference as well. So many years away had changed her tastes so much. She looked at the confused herder child.

"You will get used to it. If anything, it will make you much stronger." She said.

The boy shook his head, his curls falling right back into place and smiled as he heard the istar's words, then a thought came to mind before he looked towards his parents and whispered something to Holly. His mother blinked, then looked at Hyano.

"Will we still be allowed to celebrate our holiday here?" She asked, wondering if their culture could still be practiced, or if they need to meld into the elven society completely, forgetting what they are, who they are and where they came from.

Hyano blinked. She hadn't even thought about that just yet. With everything being so fast she didn't yet have the time to stop and think about the details.

"Um... I would hope so... Though, don't expect the elves to understand too quickly." The orange wizard replied, then looked towards Gandalf. " It's called Ash day. The day when their ancestors chose to shift... and one was turned to ash. At first they would just gather to mourn but with the generations they turned it into something like a cultural holiday." She explained to him.

Gandalf couldn't help but frown at the mention of a holiday and some kind of celebration, blinking at the thought before he was explained what it was about. He hummed at the request, his blue gaze falling to the clean and pure water in the glass before lifting it to his lips again.

"I am surprised but honored to hear that you decided to keep your fallen brethren in mind. She died for the cause she believed in was right." He smiled, putting down the glass and cleared his throat, thinking. Of course he didn't say that what the herders chose was right because it was their own decision if they found it right or wrong. He could not and didn't want to judge the situation and the outcome. "I am sure the elves wouldn't mind if you celebrated. Could you please tell me what it all contains? The holiday, I mean." He asked, tilting his head slightly, his gaze fixing on the family, mainly on the woman. She seems to be the most talk-active of the group. He wondered why...

"Well..." Holly thought for a moment about how he could explain the event. "The whole event actually lasts about a week. It is a week of fasting. We only drink water and enjoy the raise of the sun. Going back the way we used to be. This also is a time for thought. It is said that this represents the time our ancestors took to contemplate their decision. It is how we should think about every decision we make as well, taking the proper time to do so. During this time the men also take the time to gather fallen tree branches. Only pieces that have fallen naturally can be used. The women use these pieces to create... a sculpture. Normally in the shape of a woman but sometimes the children will get more creative. On the final day, Ash day, everyone normally spends the day itself sleeping since they are so tired from lack of food. However, as night falls everyone gathers and places their sculptures together... then Hyano is normally kind enough to use a fireworks spell so as the sculptures are set ablaze... a shot will go off in the sky in the shape of each sculpture that is made. When all the sculptures are burned away what is left is always ash. The ash is then blown away. After that the night is normally full of games, song, and dancing. This is also the end of the fast so we are allowed to eat again once the fire show is over." She said, smiling sheepishly, feeling the whole explanation was rather longwinded.

The White wizard listened closely to the process of the celebration, understanding the meaning behind all the points. Indeed the fast is like... attempting to return to how their ancestors lived and still live here within the hearts of their little brothers. Water and sunlight. This is all they need.

"It is nice to see you didn't forget who you are and what decisions your ancestors made, may they be easy or hard. Perhaps with the heavy magic in this world you might return more to the 'roots' and will start to resemble them once more." He said thoughtfully, stroking his long white beard at this possibility. Anything can happen at this point of creation. Maybe they won't change, maybe they have another purpose which the Valar will point them to slowly, unseen and unnoticed. They were meant to come after all. "Would you like to see your ancestor's little brothers? At least a few of them. Some are around... I can..." The wizard trailed off as he concentrated. "...hear them whisper and speak. A youngling is somewhere, so they might be a little... less tolerant." He grimaced, wishing to offer them the opportunity to see what their ancestors looked like before the change, experience their very nature and perhaps share some words.

Lilly, the little tree herder child had been half asleep, worn out from the trip and also crying as hard as she had, however when the istar spoke of seeing their ancestors' kin she sat up and smiled as if the tears never ran down her cheeks.

"I want to see!" She said excitedly, though again her voice was like the wind to anyone who didn't know any better.

Hyano giggled at the excited little girl also seeing curiosity in the young boy. Even the parents grew a bit excited, however like true herders they were also careful of their own young. Rosa was considered old enough to take care of herself to a degree but these two were far too young. Hyano looked at Gandalf and nodded.

"I think they would really like that. Even from a distance I think they will enjoy seeing where they came from." She said, standing up.

The wizard's eyes widened at the sudden change in activity and smiled before chuckling, his blue eyes meeting the excited little girl then looked at Hyano, nodding.

"Well, considering the reaction I am sure they do. Well, do you wish to make the trip now or perhaps want to rest first? It was a long and tiring journey and we might need to walk a lot until we can catch a glimpse of them." Gandalf asked the family and turned towards them, not wanting to tire them out too much. Of course, he noticed the fatigue shown by them, so gave them the choice to first gain some more energy before going out on such a trip. They might end up having to run if a tree herder becomes slightly aggressive because it is defending the young one. Tree herder children were rare as it is and their older brothers tolerated no danger around them. If they deemed anything all too risky... they would stop the living daylight out of them to case the problem.

The parents looked at each other. The man finally spoke up for the first time since he got here.

"That might be best." He said, his voice deep and rough, similar to the tree herders he came from. Lilly got a disappointed look in her eyes.

"Aw, but papa." She said sniffling cutely. However, her father only looked to her firmly, his decision not about to change despite her protest.

The mother looked at Gandalf.

"I think I should go ahead and put Lilly and Cane to sleep." She announced, feeling her daughter was both disappointed but also a little cranky because she was tired. The boy was disappointed as well but didn't say anything about it. Instead he just finished off his water before leaning against his father showing he was tired as well.

Gandalf smiled at the reaction showed by the little girl, his gentle blue eyes falling on her for a moment and reached out to stroke her head softly.

"The first thing we will do when you wake up is to go and see the tree herders, what do you say? Maybe they will be closer when night passes." He offered and drew back his hand to nod at the mother, gesturing towards the cot in the corner. "There is a bed they can sleep on. And... I think there must be a smaller mattress somewhere... Just in case two of us came at the same time and we needed shelter..." He quickly explained and stood up, trying to locate the bundle. Either to make room for both kids to sleep on a different bed or for the parents. They surely needed some sleep too. The journey is tiring for everyone and the magic when crossing the border normally sucks some out as well as a security measure. "I think... Ah, here it is!" He shouted and quickly produced the item he was looking for.

Hyano smiled as the family stood up. The mother thanked the wizard before setting her children down on the smaller of the two cots making sure they were tucked in properly before going and laying down with her husband.

Hyano stood up after making sure the family was properly resting and shifted her green gaze towards the older wizard.

"I think I will sleep outside. It will be nice to sleep out in the nature for once. It will feel nice." She said, walking to the door to go outside. There wasn't enough room for them all to sleep inside anyway.

The wizard watched as the family retired and laid down, smiling a little, knowing that they are far more tired than they showed. They were so... different than how he last saw their kind. Even with the change they still looked tree-like, however as generations went by and as the magic started rapidly leaving Middle-Earth they became more human-like instead and melded into their society. He wondered briefly how they could do their ancient task with the humans becoming as they are now. Shaking his head, Gandalf stood as well silently and drank the water in his glass before moving outside with Hyano, stopping in front of the door as he closed it behind him, letting the family rest for as long as they wished. One thing was certain... They either need a home of their own or with time they will want to sleep outside as well. Maybe their kin will urge them to go with them instead... who knows.

"Nature calls each istar and invites us to spend our time there in return of our work. The trees offer shade in the sun and shelter from the rain." He mused and reached into his white robe to retrieve his pipe, sticking it into his mouth. "I will go and take a look at the... statue you brought... Then I have some matters to discuss with the elven leaders before looking for a home for the family. I will be back by the time you wake up." He reassured, then turned and walked towards the closest road. Indeed he had a lot to do.

Hyano watched after him for a moment and nodded as she pulled out one of her cigarettes. She looked at the small object wondering if she might switch back to a pipe now that she was in Outer-Earth. However, she was sure she would just continue to make her own. All the things she needed were here she was sure.

"I will see you when you return then, Gandalf." She said before using her lighter to light it, then looked at the shack. If it wasn't for the family inside the shack she would probably go exploring right now. However, the family was in her care so she would stick by their side until they were settled in. She looked around before finding a nearby tree and like it was yesterday she climbed up the object of nature and onto the shack's roof.

She would sleep there tonight.

* * *

 _-back at the docks-_

The water's gentle waves rocked the boat still tied to the wooden post at the shore. It was truly miraculous, that a force that swallowed whole world could be so soft and caring at the same time. Nature in this world was still unpredictable, larger waves did disrupt the slow dance of the moonlight on the surface of the water that easily gave a shove for the boat but its still, lifeless occupant didn't seem to mind. because it could not even if it tried. The statue of the creature was untouched by anyone, left alone and to its fate in the boat, left to the mercy of those who stood around it.

Because it was not alone.

Elves watched each move the boat made, ready to jump into a battle if the creature suddenly revived itself. Hyano told them the wraith would not be able to do so on its own. Then again... she was an istar who should know her place and the side she was supposed to be on... yet she chose this being over it many times in the past. They could not trust her words.

The alert elves soon parted, giving way to a much taller man as he walked past them and stood in front of the boat, his shadow engulfing the state that rested in it. Blue eyes observed the motionless figure but otherwise did not move. This did not mean that his thoughts also stopped. They were going a mile a minute as memories of the past flooded him.

One might think that Gandalf, for the first time in ages, was at a loss on what to do. This was a great lie, however. The White wizard knew exactly what to do and no emotion will sway him from the responsibility that was given to him during the Third Age on Middle-Earth. He had enough knowledge to know that he cannot let this creature corrupt what they were creating, having learned from the past. He also had enough knowledge to know that if Hyano cannot be saved from this bond she was sharing with this dark creature... then the only choice would be to give her up in return of the safety of the world. But wisdom, the one trait he was renowned for, told him that the safety of the world was relative. The safety is balance and just because he had a belief in what balance was... did not make it right. Just because he believed that darkness had nothing to do on a world did not make it true.

Fate and destiny... these traits were not in their control. These strings were held and guided by the Valar and their great God himself. Who was he to say that the creature cannot exist if they let him enter this world? Who was he to judge him if the Valar, despite the danger he poses let him pass their protective barrier and enabled him to be part of this world?

Time... Time shall be his guide.

Time will tell him the Gods' true plans and who this creature truly was in this world.

* * *

 **Now, we would like to grasp the chance and explain the istari business to our Dear Readers. In the first book a Guest asked us about them and we told them that we changed a few things about that group. In our story, the istari aren't just sent to battle Sauron in the Third Age. But the istari are also the helpers of the Valar in creating and maintaining life on the worlds.**

 **In our story, we indicate that there are multiple worlds on Arda, and the Valar give and shape life to one at a time and let it go its course. Once that world is to end, they start shaping another world, rotating between those that were freshly created or have died out to start anew. Hence why the magic flows away from one land to another, which means that the Valar turn their gaze to a new world. The elves and istari follow it.**

 **In our story, Gandalf and the other wizards had been at multiple worlds already. But otherwise their story on Middle-Earth did not change. You could see it as an... addition you didn't know about.**

 **We hope we were able to clear it up.**

 **So, see you in two weeks.**

 _CA Productions_


	2. Back to the Roots

**Avp: Second chapter right here, as ordered. Oh, we have also received a question about the toy maker! Well, he is living happily ever after. He will sadly not make any appearance in the book. But if you wish, we can invite him to the intros.**

 **Ren: Why would I allow you mortals to invite him to my intros?!**

 **Avp: … Because I have cookies?**

 **Ren: *Screeches and tackles Avp.* Mine, meat sack!**

 **Cub: Well… that plan worked out nicely.**

 **Hyano: Uh… Heh… Well enjoy the show everyone!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 2 - Back to the Roots

By the time the sun rose completely above the horizon the White wizard, Hyano and the herder family were already trekking through the forest. Despite this being a completely new world, Hyano could not see many differences. The plants and animals they met looked almost the same as what they had in Middle-Earth, only that they were called differently. Mainly due to the native elves, who were the ones to name them. She swore she saw an oak tree and some fir trees on the way. She could also see poppies and daisies. This was almost like home... Like the Middle-Earth she knew before Man changed it. She could not help but smile at the familiar burrow of a chipmunk. This involuntarily led her thoughts to her old friend, Ship, stopping right at the wraith which was still held prisoner in its statue form. She sighed and looked down, watching as the fallen leaves passed her as she walked. Ren will not be happy. Not one bit. When he finds out what was planned for him and in what mess they got themselves into, he will probably try to kill her. Nothing new, really. He tried to do so in the past year or so... She was not worried about that. They have been through a lot before they reached another mutual trust not long ago and she would hate to ruin this. But it was either that... or they can kiss goodbye to any further plans. The younger wizard shook her head with an annoyed sigh. She really didn't want to think about that right now...

Now was not the time.

Gandalf -using the whispers and sounds of the older herders- led them through paths and clearings, following the signs as best as he could. According to everything he was right and indeed a youngling must be around, protected by one herder while there is another close by but he is not participating in the protection. Probably this is his territory, while the caring brother -to ensure the safety of the sapling- wanders around, changing locations. This of course made the wizard's task a little harder.

Well, until he came to a shallow hole in the ground with uneven edges, which led in a line towards the thicker part of the forests, accompanied by smaller, barely visible prints, which must be the young one. The White wizard stopped next to one set and bent down, tracing the edge of one print with his fingers. Despite him being a frequent visitor in these parts, Gandalf was still astonished by these enormous creatures. It was not easy to spot one when they did not wish to be seen.

"I think we are on the right track." He noted, smiling, looking back at his company and led them further but not before letting them examine the rather large print of the tree herder. They are huge compared to them and briefly he wondered how they will react.

Lilly grinned as she saw the big hole with the little prints right beside it.

"Mommy, look! There is a kid my age to play with!" She said excitedly, then continued to follow the prints, too excited to stop. Her brother wasn't far behind her but his eyes were looking everywhere as if waiting for someone to shoot at them. The mother was watching them closely with the father beside her, his eyes scanning around them as well. They did not know what to expect, so tried to prepare for anything. The White wizard warned them about the highly protective nature of their ancestors, so it was no wonder.

Hyano giggled lightly at the young girl's excitement, putting her hands in her pockets.

"Depending on the older herder's reaction she might be right." She said, though there was a high chance that the girl wouldn't be able to go anywhere close to the little herder. She never saw a tree herder that protected a little one with her own eyes but her mentor and Gandalf told her about it, the scrolls and books also wrote of it, so she had an idea.

Gandalf chuckled and nodded in agreement, knowing all too well just how protective the tree herders are of the saplings; however this also depended on the trust level of the approaching individual. While Gandalf and perhaps Hyano might be able to go close because of their kind but the family could be considered 'human', a danger despite them being descended from their kind.

"I am also not sure if she is aware of the size of a tree herder sapling. At this age they are rather tall, judging from the footprints." He added, humming, directing his gaze down towards the prints, trying to guess the age of the youngling from the size of the prints and the distance of the steps. Might be five years old... Maybe two times as tall as him but of course way thinner. Thin and tall also meant fragile, so its protector might not be happy about the visitors.

Reaching the thick part of the forest, the wizard gestured for everyone to stop and be silent, then stepped forward, his wise blue gaze surveying their environment. Tree herders knew how to hide, especially in such foliage. However, he already knew what to look for. He instantly spotted the young herder between two smaller but thicker trees, blending in while his protective big brother was standing right beside him, however from the leaves and the other trees all one could see were his legs, which looked exactly like two tree trunks. He waited a little before gesturing for the family to come closer, telling them to stay silent before reaching over for the little girl and crouched down, pointing at the tree-looking herder among the small trees.

"There..." He pointed, letting her follow the direction he gestured towards with her gaze.

It was lucky that Gandalf took hold of the child because otherwise she would have taken off running. Her naturally curious nature urged her to but the istar's hand kept her planted where she was. Instead, her eyes widened as she looked at the creature before her.

"Woooow. It's so big." She said cutely. She had been told plenty of stories about the herders and knew that they were supposed to be giants like the trees themselves. Some even larger. However, no child really understands until they see it for themselves. The sapling was huge. However, her mind still saw it as another child to play with. "Can I get any closer? Pleeeeeaaase!" She begged, putting on the best cute act she could.

Hyano snickered at this before noting the parents' worry. Her father stepped up, taking his daughter's hand. There was no way she was going any closer without him by her side.

The White wizard couldn't help but chuckle at her eagerness, clearly she showed no fear towards her ancestor's kind and while she might be descended from one of them, the much larger tree herder might not think so.

"I am not sure... Let me see how Hazelbark feels about it." He whispered and stroked her hair once before letting her go, trusting that the father will not let her go any closer, then stepped towards the sapling. Of course, his true goal was not the small one but the much bigger one standing just next to it. He wondered if they already found the young one big... what will they say about the grown one? He just shook his head and moved closer to the sapling, causing it to stir and suddenly turn its head towards the disturbance, moving and stepping back, unsure about the presence of the wizard but clearly he wasn't afraid. At least his protector did not tell him to hide. Hazelbark after all remembered Gandalf as his protector from five thousand years ago, so did not consider him a threat but that didn't mean he wasn't protective of his little brother. So, as soon as the wizard stepped too close the two tree-trunks moved and cracked as if a tree was falling as he stepped forward, revealing that there was a far taller being right there hiding.

Lilly pouted as she was asked to stay, her father keeping her close. Then her eyes got all the bigger and her jaw dropped as she saw the even bigger tree herder move. However, this only lasted a moment as her father tugged her quickly behind him, making her yelp lightly. He was being hit by a mix of instincts. One said this creature was not something to worry about while his other instincts wanted to get his family out of there. The large one could easily crush them without trying.

Hyano saw this and stepped up to the family, putting her hand on the father's shoulder.

"Calm down. Nothing bad will happen. I promise." She assured and he slowly relaxed, nodding. Hyano then sighed and shifted her green gaze towards Gandalf. She wondered if he could convince the tree herder to let the family spend some time with them.

* * *

"Hazelbark!" Came the enthusiastic greeting from Gandalf as he walked closer to the enormous creature but stopped at a respectable distance, knowing how far to stand to keep his company comfortable in his presence. Despite them knowing him, the little sapling was still vulnerable. It was an instinct to protect him and he was wise enough to not challenge that. "Good morning!"

"What does the White wizard do in these forests at this time of the year?" The large tree herder, known as Hazelbark, asked, stepping in front of his little brother. His eyes moved from the wizard to the crowd standing not far for just a moment to make sure they keep their distance before meeting Gandalf's gaze again. It was an unusual time for him to visit. Something told him that it had something to do with the people nearby. They were strange to look at, he never saw creatures like it but there was something... There was something about them that made them familiar. But what and how... He did not know that.

"Ah... I see you have noticed them." Gandalf quickly noted and pointed at Hazelbark with his staff lightly when he saw the glance of the tree herder and looked at the family above his shoulder, avoiding the question asked to him. He was right, he was not supposed to be in these forests but north, however with Hyano's arrival... his routine he built up in the past thousands of years changed. He did not wish to discuss every detail, though. Some things simply are better to be kept for themselves.

"They are... strange people. Not elves." The ent said, his voice full with the uncertainty that he felt when it came to them, completely forgetting about the unanswered question. Of course, he saw no other humanoid creature than elves, so anything that did not look like an elf was something strange and unusual. "But they smell familiar. What are they?"

"Oh nothing." The White wizard waved a hand nonchalantly, as if all this was not significant enough to be discussed, which only resulted in a greater curiosity from the ent, so it leaned slower to him a bit. Gandalf was aiming for that. He needed him to be as receptive to the idea as he can be. It might be not easy to convince him of the truth, especially with the differences between them. "They are just... your cousins."

"Cousins?" Hazelbark stood tall and blinked in confusion, glancing towards the family that stood farther off, then back at the wizard. "What is a cousin?" He asked, which earned him a look of disbelief on Gandalf's face.

The almost annoyed expression of the White wizard was replaced in a moment's notice by understanding and clarity. Of course, tree herders did not have an extended family. They did not know what a mother or a father was, neither did they know what a cousin or a son or daughter meant. They were brothers. All of them. Gandalf also knew that he might have not used the proper and correct name of their relation but he could not say 'nephews and nieces' because that would be only more words they would need to learn and he would need to teach. best was to just use cousin and be done with it.

"It means you are related." The ancient istar told him matter-of-factly but shook his head once the look on Hazelbark did not change. Well, they did not exactly look alike, after all. It WAS hard to believe. "You know I have told you about some of your brothers staying back to guard the forests after I left?" He tried, slightly unsure if the ent even remembered that. He was still a sapling himself when he spoke to him about it.

Hazelbark frowned at the mention of the tale that the wizard told him many years ago. The memory of it faded greatly but he could recall most of the important points of it, so nodded nonetheless, unsure how this tale would have anything to do with it... Unless...

"They are descended from the three changed ents." Gandalf concluded, watching Hazelbark carefully for any signs of him having understood. When he saw a sudden spark of clarity in those dark eyes of his, the White istar breathed a sigh of relief.

The enormous tree herder frowned at the revelation and shifted his gaze towards the family again. He observed them for a good minute or two and just stood there, making no move otherwise. He was mulling over all that was told him and judging the situation while he also took his time to make sense of it all.

"But where are their branches?" Hazelbark noted and lowered his gaze to the wizard standing near him, confused about the lack of body parts he could not find on them. "Where are their leaves?" He asked. Gandalf clearly implied that they are ents too but how could they be ents if they lacked everything they are supposed to have? "Now I know what was so familiar about them before... They do smell like ents. They... feel like ents."

"They have spent thousands of years in a world without magic. They adapted to the ruling species of that world." The White wizard clarified but he was certain Hazelbark will not be able to understand much of it, since he did not see humans. But this was not the main point he was trying to make. Instead he stepped a bit closer and addressed him in a more serious manner. "Now they are here to trace back their roots. They... are curious about where they come from. Or most importantly... What they truly are."

* * *

It took a while -mainly because tree herders at this age speak slowly- but eventually Gandalf returned to the group, leaning on his staff for support and smiled at the family.

"Alright. Hazelbark doesn't consider us as a threat and we may go closer and speak to them. But I ask everyone to not make sudden movements. He does feel you are... somehow related and feels his kind within you... but he is with a sapling, so he is instinctively protecting his little brother." He informed them before giving a smile to the little girl, knowing how eager she was to be around the other youngling. "Hyano, please keep an eye on them." He said and turned his gaze to her, his expressions going serious. "I will go and look for the third herder. He is here somewhere too and I don't want any sudden appearances." He added and turned around; slowly walking off into another path, while the sapling first watched him, then turned his gaze towards the newcomers, Hazelbark standing guard above him.

* * *

 _-an hour later-_

Hyano watched the family who had yet to move but luckily the tree herders nearby seemed patient enough. Though, the little girl was eager, her father kept her where she was. The orange wizard smiled lightly and nodded for them to go, walking forward first so they could see it was safe.

The father was still wary but he followed, keeping the little one close to him, however she quickly was tugging him towards the sapling with a huge smile on her face. When she finally got close enough she waved at him.

"Hi! My name is Lilly. You are my cousin." She said happily, not fully understanding their relation but assumed that summed it up well.

The sapling just watched her in return curiously, feeling just a little at ease since his guardian recognized them as not a threat to them, so did not handle them as such either. He was a little surprised to see the little one come up to him like that and tell him how they are related. Of course, this relation was a mystery to the youngling. Tree herders were brothers. There were no parents, no cousins... Just brothers. So he didn't understand. But what he understood was the name, to which replied.

"I am Silentbranch." He said, introducing himself but otherwise didn't know what else to say. His voice was deep but he spoke fast and still in a smooth manner. He wasn't yet hardened by age. He never saw tree herders like them. They looked so... small. So young and different... while Lily was protected by her father, Hazelbark also observed the exchange closely, giving out small signs of his presence by brief movements, just to be sure. Otherwise he also was silent, choosing to rest for now.

Lilly giggled at the name. She then tugged out of her father's grip. He did not approve of this but as long as she was careful he would allow it... for now. She moved up to the taller herder, then held up her hands. Touch was a very important part of her kind's communication. It was how they still made themselves close to the trees around them.

"It is nice to meet you, Silentbranch. Want to be my friend?" She asked still being at that age where one simply asked to be friends with someone rather than eventually expecting that outcome.

Silentbranch had no idea what she wanted to do with her hands, just leaving them to touch the air, his hesitation making the little girl pout. This confused him but shrugged it off the moment she spoke. The youngling made a small groaning sound before speaking up.

"We can't be friends..." He started, watching her curiously. "... We are family." And of course family was a far stronger bond than friendship. All tree herders were a family and protected each other without question. This of course made the little girl smile and nod, liking that even better. "Although... it is hard to tell if you were once like me..." He pondered out loud, watching her, observing. Suddenly, the wind changed and the whispers suddenly got louder as well, the trees were communicating with each other, using the wind to get words quicker through the forest.

This of course didn't go unnoticed by the older herder, who soon turned towards the sapling.

"Now... what do they say?" He asked and waited for the answer. It was like teaching. The young herder already possessed the ability to understand the speech of the trees, so now his brother is testing this every once in a while.

"Someone else is coming. Like them." Silentbranch replied without hesitation, pointing at the family, causing Hazelbark to nod in satisfaction. Indeed, the trees were already whispering of a strange and small tree herder coming their way.

Lilly tilted her head when he was quizzed on what the trees were saying and blinked before looking up at him.

"That's my big sister, I think. You can understand the trees? Can you teach me?" She asked again, getting excited. She wanted to speak to the trees too. They said so much but she couldn't understand anything. What was the worst part is it felt like they understood her perfectly, especially with the way her speech currently was. It was like talking on a one way phone.

The youngling blinked, not saying anything at first before finally speaking up, his tone carrying his disbelief.

"What do you mean? We all can understand trees, even you." He pointed out, unsure what to think of her claim. Was she just joking... or was she really having trouble telling what the trees were talking about... "I can't teach you how to understand..." He shook his head, his branches swaying. "It is all there for everyone. There is no way to teach, the understanding becomes clearer the more you listen to them." He tried to explain, although he wasn't all that good in it, being so young still.

Lilly looked down, feeling ashamed now for even asking, considering how he said everyone can do it.

"The trees back home don't talk... My mommy says they haven't for a very long time... Before I came here I had never heard them make a sound at all... Now they talk a lot and I'm not sure who is saying what... Or what is being said." She admitted, putting her hands on her ears.

The little tree herder sighed as she spoke once more, finding interest in what she said and turned towards the little girl again.

"The trees don't speak there? But why not? They always speak, always tell tales and stories... They tell us what is happening in the forest and ask for our help if needed..." He said, not understanding the concept of not having the trees speak, he didn't know how a forest can be silent like that. So, listening to the sounds, he stayed silent and held up a hand towards one of the trees. "That tree is asking about you. It sees you. It wonders why you are so small and why you aren't replying."

Hyano watched the two 'children' closely while they talked but also moved towards the older of the tree herder brothers slowly, her green gaze focusing on its face carefully. He looked robust and old, clearly not someone who was born in the past few years.

"What generation are you?" The wizard inquired curiously. Part of her was curious if he was one of the firsts. If this is the outcome of those seeds she protected so much.

Soon enough the tall tree herder looked down when Hyano voiced her question and hummed at it, not knowing why it was so important. "I am from the first batch that grew here. First generation in Outer-Earth."

Hyano smiled at him.

"It hardly matters I guess but I am Hyano. Before your seed was brought here I helped to protect it until it could make its voyage across the water. I helped start the life of your eldest brother, Ironbark." She explained. She did not ask how the herder was doing... Part of her was afraid to find out.

Hazelbark listened to Hyano, watching her, finding this information interesting.

"In Middle-Earth? I heard about the magic problem there. I also heard the trees don't speak anymore... silence engulfs the forests... No more tree herder walks the woods..." He said with a sad tone, thinking this was one of the signs of a dying forest. A tree cannot move and flee if something happens to it... Without a tree herder protecting them, the forests will be cut out mercilessly. This was something he knew.

Hyano sighed softly.

"Problem suggests it was unintended. The lack of magic was meant to be... however I doubt anyone could have foretold what would come of it. Many trees have come and gone... Their lifespans aren't nearly as long and it is only made worse by the acts of man... The last sound I heard from a tree... was the cry of a small sapling... It had become polluted to the point there was no saving it anymore..." Hyano said, remembering it too well. She remembered putting the poor creature out of its misery... It had been horrible.

Hazelbark listened to what Hyano was saying. "That is truly sad... Unacceptable. But the White wizard said that it was necessary and magic is only but temporary in every world. Our big brothers had to die for this..." The tree herder trailed off but stopped and turned his eyes towards the direction where he heard some familiar noise coming. The ground was vibrating, shaking under their feet, although it was barely felt by the giant, it did scare the smaller human-like beings.

Hyano was also about to reply when she felt the movement. When she heard a yelp nearby she looked over swiftly and noticed the high-pitched shout came from Lilly. She yelped as the movement was enough to throw her off of her feet and onto her backside. Her father had to change his stance slightly to keep himself on his own feet before reaching out and scooping her up into his arms, instinctively wanting to keep her from getting crushed by whatever was coming. The orange wizard looked over curiously, assuming it was probably Gandalf with the tree herder he spoke of. She smiled when she saw not only them but the daughter and the elf she went off with the previous day.

"You always knew how to make a dramatic entrance, Gandalf." She teased.

The White wizard chuckled and patted the shoulder of the tree herder, making him look to the side before stopping, standing still so Gandalf and the two visitors could climb down before moving again to greet his younger brother and the sapling, of course speaking in the language of the trees.

"You know me too well, Hyano." He replied to her and walked towards the family, the elf accompanying him silently, glancing behind them to make sure Rosa was following behind.

Rosa was behind him alright though her eyes were on the tree herders so the moment the elf stopped she ran right into him. "Eek! Sorry!" she said still feeling distracted.

Fieven gasped as he was slightly pushed forward and turned around to see Rosa apologizing. His frown vanished rather suddenly and smiled, shaking his head.

"That is alright. No harm was done." He replied and looked around once more, his eyes also attracted to the larger beings, although he already saw some in his life. But no one can have enough of these peaceful giants. Well... peaceful until one starts harming the forest. Then they become stomping monsters of the Void. It was not unheard of tree herders attacking elves when they began hunting animals. They were so protective of the forests back then that they chased off anyone who looked suspicious. And for them everything that doesn't look like plants is suspicious...

Lilly saw her sister over her father's shoulder and smiled before pushing herself out of his arms and ran to her.

"Rosa! Rosa! Look! Look! See our big family?!" She shouted as she ran up, jumping into her older sister's arms.

Rosa caught her and finally cracked a smile, nodding.

"Yes... Big is a bit of an understatement." She said, then remembered the elf beside her. "Oh right. Fieven. This is my little sister, Lilly. Lilly. This is my friend, Fieven. He has been showing me around." She said with a smile.

Lilly looked towards the elf, then grinned at her sister before whispering in tree speech, which the ellon failed to catch.

"Is he your new boyfriend?" She asked, making the older of the two blush like mad before dropping her altogether. It would seem like a rough punishment to anyone else but the little one just laughed while getting up.

The elf didn't even need to guess who she was to her. They had the same features after all. He smiled at the little girl -now known to him as Lilly- but he didn't get to say anything as she was suddenly dropped almost carelessly and as if nothing happened she bolted back to her family with a laugh. He didn't understand that one, so raising an eyebrow he turned his gaze to Rosa, awaiting an explanation wordlessly.

Rosa blushed all the more when she noticed she was being looked at with curious eyes by the boy beside her.

"Don't worry about it." She said, trying to wave it off. "She was doing what little siblings do best... Trying to annoy me." She half grumbled, crossing her arms. She wondered if this world even knew what a boyfriend was. She smiled awkwardly, all along up until the ellon walked over to the White wizard to offer him some company.

"So, is Fieven going to take you to see more things?" Her mother asked all of a sudden, making the young girl jump in surprise.

Rosa fell silent at first and pondered about it a little before shrugging.

"Probably not. Fieven is probably going to be too busy. I just got lucky to catch him on his downtime." She replied, finally saying aloud what she had been thinking for a while.

After all these years of prejudice, bullying, illusion of friendship... she had trouble believing that someone might see her as a true friend and truly did something for her because they so wanted and not because they felt they had to.

* * *

In the mean time Gandalf joined the wizard and the parents of the herder children when the large tree herder also went on his way to pay a visit to his brother, whose protective gaze never left the smaller, weaker sibling.

"Well, I managed to snatch him too. They are the only tree herders in this region. The others are doing their tasks in other forests." The White wizard explained and stopped next to the younger wizard, reaching out to also pat her shoulder with a wide smile on his aged face. "And I also thought you might want to see an old friend..." He trailed off and nodded towards the still talking tree herder he brought along.

Hyano froze when he said this. _Is that really?_ She turned to look at the tall older tree herder before stepping back from Gandalf. He did look familiar. The branches were thicker and larger in general, much older but she could tell they stood the way he was born with them, maybe a bit bent due to the elements and age. His form and the way he moved...

"Ironbark?" She said, a huge smile spreading on her face. Not only was he alive but he was doing well! Then a thought came to mind and she looked at Gandalf. "Do you think... he remembers me?" She asked, remembering the last they saw each other. He had been so sad to see her go but she had assured him that they would see each other again. That he had to go to protect his future brothers and the trees of the new world.

Gandalf only shrugged in return to her question, not knowing the answer. In order to make sure that Ironbark becomes a devoted protector of the forest he had to concentrate on his task, so the wizard did not mention Hyano to him at any time. The young herder did ask for the first few months but they all became scarcer as the time went by and soon never asked about her anymore. It was very well possible that he does not remember her fully; however a tree herder never truly forgets either. See how many tree herders in Middle-Earth still recognized him as their protector when they visited him in Isengard, from the beginning of that world and that time was more than five thousand years ago.

"Why don't you go and see?" The White asked the question and let her decide.

Hyano looked to him for a moment. It sounded so strange. Walking up to someone and asking, 'Hey do you remember me?' She looked back towards the large tree herder and thought for a moment before getting an idea. She stepped up slowly until she was sure they noticed she was there without invading their space. She then did something she hadn't in a very long time. She pulled out her whistle and started to play a lullaby. One she had played for Ironbark almost every night until he fell asleep. Especially on the nights where he was scared for one reason or another. Weather, sounds. He had been so young at that time.

The tree herders were of course busy speaking and because trees speak slowly it took them a while to explain anything to each other, so they did not truly notice her, only the youngest did turn his gaze towards her but didn't do anything, just wondered what she was doing there. As the unexpected music started, the herders at first didn't stop speaking, only after a few seconds did they notice it and turned their upper-bodies towards the sound, watching her as she made the music. Of course, it sounded nice but even the nicest music can be boring after a while... Well, if they don't mean anything.

But for Ironbark it did, so after Hazelbark and Silentbranch already looked away, the older herder still kept watching and listening, recognizing the lullaby. Tree herders indeed had a good memory from their times of a sapling but even the best memory can fade with time. While he didn't exactly remember everything, he knew this music and also... Hyano was familiar to him. His instincts never considering her a threat from the start.

When the wizard finished she looked up at the group. She wasn't sure what to expect but when she saw Ironbark was still watching her she smiled up at him.

"I told you I would come." She said, her eyes meeting his. He didn't have to remember everything but she was happy to see he at least remembered this much. Her little sapling was all grown up now. He hardly even looked like the same little one he started out as. But still somewhere in there he was still her little one.

Ironbark watched her, not moving from his position before turning fully and in only two steps he covered the distance between them. Of course, slowly. His size asked for a far more firm stance and balance to achieve moving. He was also a lot heavier, so needed the extra time to balance his thick and tall body.

"I know you." He finally spoke up as he stopped, leaning slightly forward to look down at her. "From before I came here. You made this music. You were my protector." He rumbled.

Hyano nodded.

"Yes. When you were smaller than that sapling there... I had to send you away... to this world. I couldn't come with you, sadly. I worried about what might happen to you in this new world. But it seems you have done well without me." She said with a smile. "It seems I picked a good name for you. You have grown up stronger than any iron I have ever seen." She said rather proudly.

"I remember little from that time." Ironbark admitted as he reached down, lowering his hand next to her, wanting to lift her closer to him so he can see her better. Because from this height it isn't so easy to see all the important little details. "But I remember that lullaby. I remember the Tower of Isengard and my brothers. I remembered the White wizard, your flute... the books you read. But most is too much fogged by time. It is all in the far past, now we care for the future."

Hyano stepped up onto his hand easily, understanding what he wanted.

"Do not feel bad. That is the way your kin are meant to be. I am just happy you remember me at all. I remember you so well. My memories of you and Gandalf... Those were what helped me to keep moving towards the future. In a way you helped me quite a bit without even being there." She said with a kind smile.

Ironbark -as soon as she climbed on- lifted his hand to see her much closer, now seeing more details, noting some familiarities like the orange color. He could remember that from the time he was a sapling.

"I am honored to have had such an impact on an istar for so long. Now, however, you need not to worry. This world is safe, full of flowing magic and trustworthy allies. You will soon also gain your own tasks. Either close to us... or far. But we will meet again." He explained to her as he turned his body back to the other tree herder as he spoke to him once more. Ironbark however -just like each member of his kin- could listen to more than one being at a time. This is why they are so effective in protecting a forest. They can listen to many trees at once.

Hyano has sat down as she felt the rush of him lifting her, not wanting to just fall over, then giggled as he spoke.

"It feels so strange having someone who was only knee high to me last I saw him talk to me like a wise old man now." She said honestly, then sighed before looking up at Ironbark. "I have already been informed of what the future may have for me. It will be... interesting to get into that kind of way of life again." She said, not sure it would be as easy as it sounded. Istari were natural wanderers. That much was true, however despite her traveling from time to time she had spent much of her life in one place in the past years. Mostly because in the old world wandering didn't work nearly as well. There were not as many places one could just put their head down to rest. Not as many forests or grass lands that were not owned by one person or another. One could rent a hotel or stay the night on a bench but such things only worked for a number of times before one either ran short on money or had the cops chasing one away for loitering.

"So, the magic-less Middle-Earth didn't enable you to be an istar." The old tree herder nodded in understanding, knowing how much traveling meant to her kind. "I am glad I was not there when all these horrible things happened to the trees and people. When everything changed... forcing you to change as well right with them." While he didn't remember most things from when he was a sapling, he somehow did know he didn't leave Middle-Earth all that happily, wanting to stay... Now if he looked at it... He was a foolish sapling, not yet feeling the decrease of magic. It was indeed for the best that he came along, as he could help the istar in protecting his little brothers.

Hyano smiled up at him.

"You have changed quite a bit yourself, though. It does not matter where we grow or how long we spend in a place, there is always some change that is required. I even see Gandalf has changed slightly with the world he has lived in. However, what makes change worth it is what we do with those changes... I may have changed slightly but that just has made me a stronger istar. Learning to live without magic is likely the most useful thing I will ever know." She said with a smile, then patted his hand like he was still a small sapling and she was patting his leaves again.

"You are right. Partly." The old tree herder added as he decided to take a walk, patrolling this territory while he was here, making sure everything was alright and safe for the sapling and for the trees. "Not all changes are good. Like what I heard from the White. Humans have changed for the worst once they were left alone. But who knows if this change is truly bad for Middle-Earth. After all, maybe this is their task given by the Valar. Maybe they are to destroy the life there in order to give a chance for the next world to bloom." He said, sharing his theory with her, trying to think of the most logical way why the gods would let a world they created be so much disgraced by a small and weak race like the humans.

This rang in Hyano's ear. Valar actually wanting to bring destruction? It was such a harsh concept but... it could very well be true... for more than just the humans. She shook off these thoughts, not wanting to deal with it right now. She then looked up at her friend.

"There was another thing working against the humans. A lack of balance... I see it here as well. While this world is living happily, theirs is suffering. One way or another the Valar will balance that out... Valar are very harsh in that way." She said with a sigh. As much as Hyano would love to see this world stay like this forever, the Valar would eventually decide this world was ready for reality and let it be hit by it. However, Hyano didn't feel it was ready. Not because it was too young but because it was too weak. Everyone here had been living such happy lives. They had no worries, no true pain that helped make creatures stronger.

"They are harsh indeed but all changes need their time." The old tree herder replied, now lifting her higher and setting her on his shoulder as he walked. "They know when the world is ready and will act to achieve it. But the world needs to be strong in order to survive, so for now it is supported fully by those who take part in creation. Later, they will pull back and let the world balance itself out. The Valar will not need to interfere there. The world is ready when it works on its own." He explained, of course hinting towards the fact that if the current protectors would let go of the support, it would fall apart still. Right now, the most energy is transferred to the forests so its flora and fauna so the complete food chain can fully develop and strengthen itself.

Hyano nodded in agreement. In the old world she may not have traveled but she still was a protector. What she protected just became a little smaller.

"What do you think of your kin? They were rather eager to come meet you and the others. Though, a little nervous. One of their main worries was that they might be rejected, since they aren't exactly tree herders as you are anymore." She questioned, deciding to change the subject.

"Ah yes... I saw them. And felt them." Ironbark started and walked past a particularly large and old tree, lifting a hand and touched its bark before continuing. "They are small and fragile but the trees recognize them as tree herders. We recognize them as tree herders, so I see no problem. However, they do need to take up their own duties and help us with the tasks to which they were originally born for." Of course, as with everything, the old Ent knew they will get their tasks through instinct or with the help of the Gods. He himself was surprised by their small size and fragile build but there was nothing he can do about it. They will have to survive as they are.

"I think they will do well with that. They were very active in the old world. The father was a protector and enforcer of the peace. He helped do what he could when it came to not only protecting the good but also enforcing laws that protected nature. The mother was a volunteer with a group that would handle events that destroyed nature. Cleaning up the mess and replanting and such. The children still need to find what they are good at but I think they will be fine. I can't wait to see how the magic in this world will change and shape them." She said with a smile.

"Then their tree herder instincts and spirit is still strong in them. They won't have a problem fitting in with their brothers." Ironbark answered, now referring to them as family, as it should be. No matter how they look and how they speak, they are still tree herders and all tree herders were brothers. Family. "We will help them at first, teach them like saplings but they will have to fend for themselves later and walk the forests like we do or find other ways they can help the trees with. Their saplings are also still very young and surely by instinct they will find their own path."

Hyano nodded.

"I am sure with the right hand guiding them they will do fine. They won't be traveling far from this area for a while so they will be under your care mostly. I will not be in this area for too long, I'm sure, so I will likely be leaving them in your care and the care of the nearby elves." She replied, thinking on the future of the family. No matter what happened she was sure that she would not be here to watch over them for very long.

"How do you know you won't be at this area? Were you given a task?" Ironbark asked as he stepped over a small spring, stopping only to check on the small saplings that grew at its shore. "You just arrived... Which means they give you enough time to prepare. As I said... the Gods know when you are ready."

Hyano looked up at him, then smiled.

"You are right in a way... but... in this case I already know I won't be here long. However, it is what I will be doing that is still up for debate." She replied, then noted the family came into her view from the small hill they were standing on. The sun was quite high on the sky, so perhaps it was time to return and join them once again. "Seems we will be discussing that very thing now. Do you mind putting me down by Gandalf...? We have much to talk about."

Ironbark nodded and turned around slowly, taking course back towards the way they came from.

"Alright. If you need to speak to me, you will find me in these forests." He said, informing her of this and started their journey back towards the White wizard.

* * *

While the adults conversed and were busy with plans and nostalgia, the child, Lilly, found trouble in dealing with her sudden boredom. Her father and mother were watching her but she could not expect them to play tag or hide and seek... She didn't really want to bother her brother with it and her sister was also busy playing an act in front of the elf. Everyone was doing something and yet here she was, waiting for something to do. But then a thought hit her and she giggled before running back to Silentbranch.

"Do you want to play?" She asked with a bright hopeful smile, looking up at him with her hands clasped behind her back.

Silentbranch in the meantime had been doing what his older brother told him. Staying silent and motionless but also watched the crowd that suddenly grew around him, however once Lilly accompanied him he just stared at the little girl, confused.

"Play? Play what?" He asked, unsure. What can a tree herder play? Mostly as long as they are somewhat fast as a sapling they simply stand still and rest to grow... or chase the fallen tree leaves in the wind, much to the dismay of their much bigger and slower brothers.

Lilly thought for a moment, crossing her arms and getting a very serious thinking face which just looked cute on her.

"Hmm... Oh! How about hide and seek?" She offered, thinking they were in a huge forest, so there had to be hiding spots all over the place.

Silentbranch just blinked, not exactly understanding the game she was talking about. He never played one such as that and never heard of it before.

"What is it?" He asked, unsure what to think of it but he was curious enough to ask. If it was a good game and he is able to play it even as a tree herder, then he will give it a try. He was rather bored after all. While older herders easily stood still for a day even, saplings were far more restless and he needed to move.

Lilly blinked, then grinned.

"It is as easy as it sounds. One of us hides and the other seeks. You're big but you look like a tree and the trees are a lot bigger than you so you should still be able to hide. One of us just closes their eyes and counts to ten, then tries to find the other. And no cheating. The trees aren't allowed to help." She explained, making sure to add the last part. "You can pick if you want to hide or seek first if you like, since you haven't played before." She offered, wanting to be polite.

Silentbranch hummed at what the girl suggested and thought it over. Indeed he was slower and bigger than her but the trees offer cover, opportunities to blend in and... well... If the trees help him or not... she can't really tell, now can she? In the end the sapling nodded with a smile, deciding to try this game.

"Alright. I try to hide and you seek?" He asked, first wanting to see if he even had a chance to hide. He knew the forest of course the best of the two of them, so should know many of the hiding places. Of course, the accepting of the offer for the game caused Hazelbark to sigh, already knowing he will have to watch the two, keep an eye on Silentbranch, and yet not give away his position. This will be hard, especially with his instincts to protect him and know him close.

Lilly nodded and covered her eyes with her hand.

"1...2...3..." She said starting to count. Her father was feeling the same as Hazelbark. He could track his daughter by her smell. However, he did not know this area very well or the creatures that lived in it and he did not want to run the risk of her getting hurt. But he would let her play as long as she stayed within a certain range. The moment she got too far away he would put an end to it.

The young sapling looked around quickly once the girl started to count, trying to find a place to hide suitable enough for him. Only waiting for a few seconds, the young tree herder moved to a bunch of trees a little ways away, which were just his height and simply stood among them, standing completely still, even swaying with them as a small wind brushed their branches. This was when he noticed his big brother, Hazelbranch was looking right at him. He will give him away! So raising a hand slightly, the sapling waved at his brother, trying to get him to look away. It seemed to work as the bigger herder just rolled his eyes but turned his gaze away reluctantly. This was harder than it looked.

"10! Ready or not here I come!" Lilly called before looking around. Her eyes quickly met her father and she gave him an annoyed look, realizing he might ruin the game too. "Shoo daddy! Shoo!" She yelled at him. The father raised a brow, then shook his head before walking over towards his wife but he was still tracking his daughter all the same. Lilly then started running about looking for the much bigger 'child'. Being a child she still looked in smaller hiding places, the logical part of her mind not fully developed enough to say he couldn't hide there. She looked under rocks, behind big trees and was starting to make her way towards the sapling. She pouted, thinking he might have left the area they were playing in and that was why she couldn't find him... but then she finally noticed a difference between him and the trees around him. This made her smile but she didn't say anything but instead snuck up quietly behind him before hugging his leg.

"Got'cha!" She yelled in victory.

Silentbranch was already in his little world, having been distracted from the game by the trees he was standing among. They started telling him some things they heard today and he more than eagerly wanted to hear it. But then he gasped when he felt the pressure on his leg as if something latched onto it so made a sound of surprise before lifting his leg, struggling to balance himself on just one. However, tree herders -even as such saplings- were not created to do this. They have a very bad sense of balance, thus need careful steps and all their weight to not fall over at each step. This is why they were slower the taller and bigger they got. And so, having lost the fight for staying up, the sapling yelped as he fell backwards, landing on his back with a thud. He couldn't help but instinctively sound a noise of distress, which made Hazelbark act and step towards them, leaning down to see if he was alright, becoming protective.

Lilly had not expected that at all. When he lifted his leg she giggled a little as if it was a ride. This probably would have been the best time for her to let go but before she knew what happened she went down and -like him- she let out a cry that caught her family's attention. Her father was by her side in seconds and picked her up. She was gritting her teeth, trying not to cry. As strong as their bodies were built, she was still young and taking the full weight of a young tree herder's leg on her arm had been enough to hurt her.

Her father took her arm in his hand noting it was already starting to bruise. "You are done." He said bluntly. The first words he said all day and Lilly started to sniffle.

"Aw but daddy. I'm fine. Really. I still want to play." She cried but he wasn't hearing it.

"I am alright! I am alright!" The little tree herder repeated as well, trying to calm his protector down so he won't start attacking the little girl, seeing he was staring at both father and child. No harm was done, he simply wasn't paying attention, which he knew was his fault. He fell a few times in his life already, so knew to expect a few broken branches but his arms and legs were all fine. However... getting up was another story... Knowing how to handle the situation, Hazelbark reached out and grasped the little tree herder before helping him stand, staying close.

Of course the sapling also got his own scolding from his big brother as he helped him stand but in the language of the trees so not many could understand. However, Hazelbark was less strict and while he wasn't happy with the 'accident', he cannot deny some games from Silentbranch. At least he can do these until he is this small because once he grows bigger, he will have to partake in protecting and won't have any time at all for small pleasures in life, like playing games. He himself could remember that one night when they kept Gandalf up even after sunset as he and five others of his brothers chased a rather large leaf across the forest. It was fun, so knew how much it meant to the younglings.

"I am sorry..." Came the words from the little one as he watched as the man started to bring the little girl away from him, probably very protective of her. The young herder of course wasn't happy about that and stayed there, hoping she can come back soon...

Lilly heard this and started to struggle in her father's arms until he finally let her down, letting her know she only had a little bit of time. Lilly quickly ran back as fast as she could, stopping short in order to give him a hug, not able to help but cringe a little as her arm started hurting.

"I will be back as soon as I can. I promise. I never break a promise. Especially not to family." She said, smiling up at him. "You did nothing wrong. Alright? Don't be sad. We just played too rough. It will just make me stronger later." She added, trying to make him smile if only a little before she had to leave.

The tree herder gave her a smile, feeling reassured and happy about what she said and moved his hand to put it on her shoulder as she hugged him.

"Alright. I will be waiting here. Or... somewhere close. I won't move an inch. I promise." He said, feeling he also needed to promise something. Of course even if she comes back she won't have an easy time finding him if he was taken away, so will not go anywhere until she came back and they could play again. He couldn't wait. "And you reminded me to pay attention. I will be more careful next time."

Lilly giggled and nodded.

"Alright. Next time I will hide and you seek. I bet you will never me." She challenged him with a grin before hugging him again, then she knew it was time to go. She sighed, then turned and ran back to her parents.

Her father looked down at her before picking her up. He was glad she made a friend, even though she got hurt. He would have to watch her closely. She was a little too rough for her own good. Though, she would quickly learn to handle herself in a better manner as they spent more time in the forest.

Gandalf of course saw the whole scene. He had been watching Hyano and Ironbark until they vanished out of sight before he turned his attention to the game of the younglings, remembering the fun he had with the saplings himself. Well, fun, if you call chasing after tree herder saplings in the middle of the night. At least it left a memory. His blue eyes shifted to Hazelbark for a moment, knowing he still remembered that night as well. He only averted his gaze from the sapling and his protector when the family started coming his way, wanting to return to the shack no doubt. He smiled and reached out an aged hand to get a closer look of the little girl's injury.

"Nothing is broken." He murmured, reassuring the family after a small silence, before letting go of her hand gently, caressing it softly, looking at her. "You will be fine very soon." He said and smiled, then turned towards the parents. "I take it you wish to return to the shack now, enough excitement for the day, eh?" He asked, smiling, knowing they were used to mostly uneventful days and this all is too much for the family. "However, I would like to stay a little longer, still have a rather long talk with Hyano before me... But I am sure Fieven wouldn't mind to show you to the shack." He continued and turned his head to look at the young elf, who just then met his gaze with a smile of his own, nodding in agreement.

The mother, Holly smiled at the boy and nodded.

"Thank you, my dear." She said, ready to follow him while the little girl smiled up at Gandalf.

"Alright. Hurry home soon. Mommy says staying out late is dangerous." Lilly said, making the father smile and roll his eyes. He was sure that Gandalf could take care of himself just fine. He nodded a goodbye to Gandalf, then turned to follow the boy, with his son and daughter not far behind.

While Gandalf chuckled and waved, waiting for Hyano, Fieven took lead and gestured for the family to follow him.

"The shack is this way. About a fifteen minutes walk." He informed the family before making sure they will follow and started their journey back to their new home as it seemed. He knew the direction to it as every elf. When they needed help with something serious they would always go there to ask whichever istar was there to aid them or explain something.

So, he led the family through a path he knew was the right one and walked silently, guessing they might be tired and needed some silence, peace on the way.

* * *

 **We hope you have enjoyed the chapter.**

 _CA Productions_


	3. Can I Trust You?

**And we are back with a new chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Cub: *Playing DDR.***

 **Ren: *Playing DDR.***

 **Hyano: *Watching while eating chips.***

 **Avp: *Walks in and blinks.* ... What are they doing?**

 **Hyano: Competing.**

 **Avp: How there is only one p- *Gets his mouth covered by Hyano.***

 **Hyano: *Whispers.* He hasn't figured it out yet.**

 **Ren: *Screeches as he yet again looses.* This game can go to the void! *Grabs a vase and throws it at the TV.***

 **Hyano: *Falls over laughing.***

 **Cub: Gah! My TV! *Cries.***

 **Avp: ... There goes movie night... Well at least you guys can enjoy the show!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 3 - Can I Trust You?

The Eastern elven city was bursting with life. Every elf talked about the newcomers who made Outer-Earth their home. The orange wizard Hyano, who they expected after some years of Gandalf's arrival but the others who tagged along were unknown. They looked slightly like the humans some of them knew, although there were clear differences. The city talked about their origins, about the news that the woman wizard had. But mostly their topics included the statue that still rested on the boat, guarded by five elven soldiers.

They knew its fate will be decided soon.

It cannot be soon enough...

It caused great turmoil in their society, many were afraid that the more time this source of darkness stayed in their world, even as a statue... the more likely it will be that the darkness seeps too deep into the core of this world. They were growing impatient.

Gandalf knew it all too well.

The thundering steps of the tree herder finally stopped in front of the White wizard who was waiting for the orange istar patiently in the forest, having known they needed some time to answer the questions they had for one another and inquire about the past they did not share. Although, they had their own important matters to deal with and their conversation cannot wait.

Ironbark reached towards his shoulder to let Hyano climb into his hand before setting her down in front of him.

"I wish both of you a peaceful night. And, please, do not step on the fresh saplings at the riverbed." He warned as he turned around to walk away, joining his two younger brothers at a distance away, starting a silent conversation in the language of trees.

Hyano nodded up at him.

"See you later, my friend." She said with a smile, then turned towards Gandalf as the large tree herder walked away. Her smile became a little sad, predicting their topic all too well. She could tell from his expressions. "So... Have a plan yet, Gandalf?" She asked, though, she knew there was very little that could be done. There was a huge problem that could not be ignored no matter what way she went. Hyano literally could not live without the wraith... Not, unless he had an idea on how to fix it.

The White wizard sighed and swapped his staff to his other hand, starting to walk. He knew this topic will come up sooner or later, although a little casual talk would have done good for their mood. Just to relax before they have to concentrate on the more pressing matter. However, he could understand Hyano's urgency. They had no time to waste. At first, he honestly doubted her words when she said she was tied to the Nazgul but now that he felt her power faded slightly... he knew he should not have done so. She was growing weak, so it was best they got this subject over with.

"I have been doing a little... research on this matter. And so far I only know that such unusual connections cannot be completely destroyed." He started, his hand gripping his staff a little tighter at this information, his blue gaze averting to stare at the road he was taking. He did not have much time to dig around too much but this was what he found so far. This did not mean he gave up. he just needed more time. Time that he did not have. "But we might be able to trick the connection and bind the both of you to someone else... It would take time. Years to achieve." He knew that the istar cannot wait for years with the release of the Nazgul from his statue form, needing the magic but they can't let him run around freely either... Imprisonment might be the only way...

Hyano looked at him for a moment, then sighed.

"If you imprison him... you have to imprison me as well." The girl replied bluntly, putting her hands into her pockets. She didn't have to remind him the kind of effect that wraith had on her because he already knew from firsthand experience. She knew he didn't like to believe it. She wasn't supposed to be like that but... well she had already proven it to not only herself but many others that Gandalf was very much wrong.

"Let's say... I trust you." Gandalf replied, slowing his walk a little, using the staff to support himself. "I trust your natural nature and your judgment. You aren't a child anymore but a grown istar, affected by the Valar. You surely know exactly what kind of an effect he would have on this fragile world. I trust your sense of honor and your oath as an istar. That you will not cause the destruction of this world." He said and looked at her, his wise blue gaze meeting her green ones briefly. "I trust that you will not try to free him. Because if he comes free... Madness will break loose. The elves will kill him... and you along with him because of your bond. So, think wisely."

Hyano sighed.

"If you trust me, then trust what I am saying now. I don't want to hurt this world. This world is not ready yet... That much I can see easily. As perfect as it may seem it is... weak. If it must be done then do it. I am not afraid to die." She replied, then thought for a moment. "I wonder if this is the kind of conflict that Saruman had to go through..." She wondered. She used to hate the old son of a warg. His big mouth, his high and mighty attitude but when she thought about it... he was an istar. Everything in him must have said what he was doing was wrong. Why did he do it then?

"All istari are valuable members of the Order and creation." The White wizard continued, stopping to look at her. "We need you more than you think. You are one of us, family and which family would kill their own without attempting to solve the problem?" He asked, his gaze softening. "Give us a chance to alter your situation. We need time to bind both of you to something else... Then we can take care of the rest. But he cannot walk this land freely. Never. You know exactly that the fragile life of this world would be corrupted by him without us being able to help it. We have to keep him locked up at all cost. But we need you to do your own tasks in Outer-Earth." He explained, hoping she will understand his reasoning. For now, he is willing to keep the wraith alive but he cannot say the same once their problem was solved. Then he has to be destroyed to keep this world clean.

He either didn't hear her question or chose to ignore it. Hyano wasn't sure which, however she decided to let it go.

"Gandalf... If the Valar meant for him to die don't you think he would have died along with the rest?" She pointed out. There was no way Ren would have survived this long if the Valar didn't have a hand in it. "I know this may not be ideal but... I do think the Valar meant for Ren to be here. Or else he would not have been allowed to live in the first place." She added, knowing that Gandalf may not believe her but she believed that what she said was true.

The White wizard sighed, averting his gaze. There it was. The same thoughts he had when he visited the statue last night. Ren's survival was absurd from the very beginning, which only puzzled the istar. All of his brethren were killed by the blast or by the loss of connection when the One Ring was destroyed. But not Ren. He made it out of the battlefield and dropped right into the lap of the orange wizard. Not only that but he did not kill her. He survived his imprisonment in Mordor and now traveled to this world, right through the barrier. If it was not unusual and something unbelievable... then he did not know what to call it. However, he knew better than to keep believing in only one theory. He had to keep his mind open to many other possibilities.

"The Valar don't always decide upon the fate of the people." Gandalf explained and started walking again, taking his time. "Sometimes it is decided by luck or their own abilities. Perhaps he was lucky he did not end up like the rest of the Nine. But then again... We never found their rings or any signs of them and their demise, so we could say they are missing. That doesn't necessarily mean they died. At this point of creation we are the ones deciding on the fate of many... So make sure you know what you are doing. Or else you might destroy the chances of others to live with foolish decisions. An istar cannot afford mistakes."

Hyano wasn't sure if he was making an argument or trying to assure himself of this.

"True... but what if you are making a mistake as well?" She questioned, looking up at him. "Gandalf, the moment I stepped foot here I noticed there was something... wrong with this world. There is no darkness here. Nothing and everyone is happy to leave it that way. However I have also noticed there is a lack of age here as well. You all have been here five thousand years at least... but it feels like at best one a hundred years has really been given to you. Unless I am mistaken... there is a problem there." She explained herself, wondering if she was crazy for having noticed this.

The White istar couldn't help but stop in his tracks and sighed, now turning around again to face her, his blue eyes meeting hers.

"That is because it is meant to be only light. Darkness corrupts. It destroys what we build, creates chaos and insanity, develops creatures like the Nazgul and the orcs. All worlds start out as a peaceful Eden... Then what the creatures do with this Eden is their own responsibility. Middle-Earth was just like this when it was at the same age as Outer-Earth. Creating a whole system of forests, creatures and sentient beings is hard work which needs patience. We need to stabilize the ecosystem before we can move forward. Outer-Earth is at least two times the size of Middle-Earth, so it takes a little longer." He explained, hoping this has answered her questions and inquiries about the problems she noted. Despite her age, she was still too young to know everything when it came to creation. She was not involved all this time. But this will change. He was sure of that.

She raised a brow. So this was normal? She guessed she must have missed it, being born after that period in Middle-Earth's history.

"If you are sure this is right... lock me down with Ren until you think of a better solution. I can't go far from him anyway so it wouldn't make much sense to part us. As much as I would like to complete tasks... I won't be able to. Not yet... Also... Look into ways to change him back. I know you used to say it was useless but... if you are right and the other wraith are in hiding then it might be of use to have Ren on our side. Because I can tell you for sure Sauron is far from gone... Ren wouldn't be alive at all if his power wasn't still lingering..." She said with a sigh. She had not told Ren this. She knew Sauron was somewhere and there likely was a way to bring him back but she would be caught dead before she would be the one to do it. Ren's darkness and the control of his Ring of Power would not keep him alive if the Dark Lord perished.

"A Nazgul cannot be changed back. Not without knowing the exact power and enchantment Sauron used to create the ring and curse he put on him." The White wizard thought out loud and started caressing his white beard, frowning. "And we all know he was one of if not the most powerful enchanter and necromancer on Middle-Earth. No one knows the power he imbued within them, neither do we have a chance to think up a magic against it. Too powerful and complex. It is also far too much melded with the wraith. If we did manage to unlock the secrets of this curse he might not survive anyway." Of course he and his brethren did try to analyze this, wanting to use this to get rid of nine threats at once but no one was able to find a solution or anything powerful enough to rival this curse. They don't even know what it was exactly. "We all know that darkness can never be truly destroyed if it is present in one world. This is why you don't drag it into the next..." He warned, his gaze shifting to her, scolding her. "I see no ways to turn the wraith to our side. Once Sauron somehow manages to find this place, even bring the others along... then this one will join them without a second thought. He is controlled by dark magic. And Sauron... is the dark magic itself." Gandalf dearly hoped she would come to her senses while in her stay with them. The reason why she even spends time with that dark creature was because she thinks they have a friendship and that he is the same person she knew so many years ago. But what she seemed to miss was that this was all wrong. Ren was a wraith. A Nazgul. A dark creature. He has no feelings, he has no real choices. Only one thought of murdering her... and he will do it. At any given time.

The orange wizard didn't even have to look at him to know how he was glaring at her.

"Gandalf... I can recall every second of his transformation. I recall how much pain he was in... The insanity that took over and how sorry he was for what had happened. He didn't want this. He didn't make a deal. He didn't want power. He was tricked into it and he lost everything. I'm sorry but I'm not going to give up on him just because everyone else has... You wiped my memory twice and it still hasn't changed that... What makes you think anything else will?" She replied, giving him the honest truth.

"That doesn't matter if you don't know just how this curse worked." The White pressed on, his eyes narrowing. "Your memory was wiped because it was the best for you, to grant you a much better life, forgetting about things that can never be changed. You weren't supposed to remember. Now that you do, now it didn't change you. Otherwise you had a much different view of the world. The view of an istar." He explained, having been there to see her become more relaxed with each fading of her memories. Both times she became a smiling girl again, the way she used to be before that fateful day. "We have faith in you, Hyano. If that doesn't mean anything to you..."He trailed off, knowing he didn't need to continue the sentence, then turned around and started walking down the path, away from her, letting her think about this if she wished.

Hyano watched him for a moment, then sighed. He really did know how to make things hard, didn't he? He had faith in her... but he was so ready to give up on any plans she threw at him. Because they weren't the things he felt were best for her.

"You can't get over pain by taking it away..." She said to herself, not walking after him for the moment. He thought his faith meant nothing to her but the only reason she was still talking to this man was because he meant so much to her. She could have easily woken Ren by now and turned this whole world on its head. However she wasn't.

Because in the end he was right.

Despite her connection to Ren, despite the memory of the past and the time they have spent together... she was still an istar.

No amount of persuasion or friendship would change that.

She was trying to find options.

* * *

 _\- later that day -_

The city of elves started to calm down by the time Hyano reached it, most of the residents pulled back to their homes, still speaking and talking there but the streets on the ground were mainly empty now, except a few guards who walked it, their sharp eyes surveying the vicinity, also noticing the approach of the female wizard but aside from a nod in respect, they did not say anything to her. They had their duty to do and had no time for chatting idly. Some other elves started emerging from the forests as well. Gatherers, fishers and hunters returned with their catch but instead of proudly showing them off, they quickly started distributing it, not boasting about what they killed... Murdered. Instead some of them even thanked the beast for its sacrifice and meat before cutting it open.

This was how it usually went. Elves did not enjoy hunting for the same reason a human would. A Man would step on the lifeless carcass of the slain animal and would show his skill in killing it off, be it with a gun from a safe distance, with a bow or with a knife where the rules of the 'survival of the fittest' decided their fate. Elves on the other hand enjoyed a good hunt because of the chance to use their abilities, the stalking and tireless trekking through the forest and the endless chase before the animal fell from a single arrow. They then would proceed to thank the beast for its sacrifice and use all its body parts, not daring to waste anything. From the meat to the tip of the tail, the entire animal would be part of their lives after. Sometimes elves would fall and be slain during hunts by other animals and the community would make no move to avenge his or her death. It was the way the Valar wanted and the beast fought bravely, deserving life. Whenever they went out, they would not know beforehand if they will become the hunter... or the hunted.

Other elves would go out and gather all the goods they could find in the forest. Fruits, nuts, berries, while again another part would take care of the small gardens that grew close to the city, gaining crops through farming carefully. They used most of what they found in the forests themselves but some things simply needed their own place to grow.

Life was not easy on Outer-Earth but the elves showed no signs of wanting to change it. This was the purest way of life.

And the orange wizard missed it dearly.

Hyano was on the dock where she first arrived. Unless one was fishing, this area was rather quiet. Only the sounds of the water and sometimes a bird really could be heard here unless one counted the songs of nature. Hyano had come here because this was the last place she had seen Ren. Not for anything more than instinct, really. Her shoes rested beside her as she lay back on her arms, one foot dangling in the water. She had fallen asleep by this point... but it didn't seem to be a calm slumber.

" _The dawn of creation... The world is the weakest..."_

The wizard's face suddenly contorted into a frown and she sighed as her mind was met with the familiar sound.

" _The actions must be swift and on time. The guardians' ever so watching gaze sees all..."_

The deep and rough voice persisted and she hummed in her sleep, the frown deepened and she felt her mind awaken and yet something... something held her back...

" _But... they are blind to their own... This is the calm before the storm..."_

The orange istar finally gasped and felt her mind suddenly come free of something... Like a weight was keeping her within the depths of darkness that seemed to engulf her mind for a moment. And yet the familiar voice was fading... She could barely hear it... As if there was a noise... The noise of nature and the warmth of the searing rays of the sun that laughed down at her relaxing form...

She just noticed that she felt a bit cold...

Gandalf had been wandering the forest for a little while, giving Hyano time to think it all through, he himself needed a little time alone to process all that she said. He was old, of course, although that detail did not quite affect him, he however had to be part of creation as the leader of the Order for the first time and his strength is used each minute to help with the magic and do what the Valar ask of him. As an istar taking part in creation, one can never have full strength and attention on a single detail. This of course sometimes hindered such matters like his debate with Hyano. Sighing, thinking that he gave enough time for her, the White wizard slowly started walking back towards where he came from, following her own unique aura and magic to find her. He wasn't surprised to spot her on that very place and slowly but surely joined her quietly, sitting beside her wordlessly, letting her awaken slowly instead of being woken up forcefully by him.

Hyano woke up with a start, staying lying down for a moment as her eyes snapped open before sitting up and looking behind her, not even noticing Gandalf just yet. She was checking to make sure the place was still there. That it was not a dream and she was not waking up in her bed back at the Tower just to feel the longing towards the world that she knew. She took a breath and relaxed, then she turned again and saw the White wizard, she jumped.

"Dear Valar..." She mumbled before yet again relaxing, her hand resting on her chest to calm her heart which threatened to burst from its place. "I thought you were Saruman for a moment there." She admitted, having had that annoying wizard in her dreams. Despite many differences if one did not know better they would think that the two were brothers. They were technically but in a way not. It was complicated really. That was until the voice woke her up. This reminded her that she wished to talk to Gandalf about it but for some reason she found she was more interested in what the older wizard wished to talk about. He did not come without a reason.

Gandalf held back the chuckle that threatened to escape, keeping a thoughtful gaze as he took his pipe to his mouth, staring out into the horizon. He could tell why she chose this location. This shore and exactly this spot was the most East part of Outer-Earth. Closest to what she called home. And maybe... if one listened closely... one could still hear the noises that came from their old home.

"I know why Saruman is on your mind nowadays..." He started, remembering that she already mentioned his name a few times after her arrival. "While you didn't like the wizard, you know that if you make a specific choice... you might end up just like him." He said and turned his head to meet her green gaze. He knew what she was thinking of course, debating or outright refusing to believe that she might become the new Saruman. The istar who went against his nature... for what he was born to side with the darkness for survival. Although, Gandalf was the only one who harbored the very truth of his predecessor's choice as he shared it only with him even when he voiced his betrayal. This was one of the many reasons why he did not think of him with hatred. Unlike many others who held his memory.

Hyano looked towards the water, hugging the leg that wasn't in the water already, then pulled out a cigarette and her lighter. She lit the stick or 'death stick' as many anti-smokers called them and took a drag before deciding to reply.

"I am... but not really for that reason... Saruman... He was always so cold... to everyone. I think the only friend in the world he had was you... Do you think... Do you think he always knew what was going to happen to him? Maybe that is why he refused to ever really get close to anyone." She questioned before taking another drag.

The older-looking wizard hummed, his gaze turning to stare at the horizon, watching as the waves danced, pulling the sun's rays into the fun. The wind gently rocked the branches of the few trees that littered the shore, while the sand sometimes took flight on the occasional breeze, only to be placed back into the sea where they came from or started building a smaller dune nearby.

"No." He finally answered after a short silence, shaking his head. "He was always like this, ever since I knew him. He was simply a... strict leader, someone who didn't want to be your friend but wanted to be the person who stands above you, shouts at you, pushing you to become better. He never praised anyone but if someone did something well, then he pushed them more to be even better." He explained, giving a small smile. He found it funny how everyone thought Saruman favored him of the bunch. That was not true. He simply accepted him the way he was and didn't fight him. He was a strict and good leader, someone who could hold the istari together in an iron grip. Gandalf was trying to do the same but with his more gentle behavior it isn't working all that well. In order to keep the Order together... he will need to be a bit more like... Saruman.

Hyano thought on it for a moment, her hand involuntarily seeking her chin.

"Heh, I thought he was that way because he was just an overgrown pain." She said with a grin, then sighed assuming she needed to go ahead and talk to him about why he truly came to her. "Gandalf... you can't have so much faith in me... then ask me to give up on someone who was my best friend... I can't. That isn't even fair to ask of me. Making me forget... that wasn't fair either. I was happy but... another part of me was always in pain because I wasn't allowed to truly get over what I had lost... The moment you and Ironbark left... I was alone... No distractions. Nothing. I worked until I couldn't anymore but even then... I was so lonely..." She shook her head and hugged her legs to her chest, laying her head on her knees. "I'm loyal to Ren because I choose to be... Because he is my friend and important to me... It sounds stupid and I know it isn't the istar way but..." She sighed, not wishing to say any more.

"He is long gone, Hyano." Gandalf said and looked at her, his wise and -for a change- strict eyes met hers for a moment. "The Ren who was your friend died a long time ago. All you see now is his modified outer shell and abilities. Not even his voice matches the past human who you knew." He tried explaining, sighing once as he took the pipe from his mouth, watching the smoke rise from it towards the sky, only to fade and become one with nothingness. "Your memories were hidden because with them you would have long lost the will to even live. As a child you were greatly saddened and depressed when your friend passed on to the ring he wore... As every other member of the Order, you are also extremely important. So, as to help you, we simply removed the memories that caused the great trouble. Now with a grown mind of course you can process it all better. But as a child and young girl you couldn't."

Hyano looked at him for a moment before sighing and shook her head.

"No... No he isn't. No matter how many times you try to tell me that he is dead... I know differently. I have seen differently. But you are the one making the final call, so it really doesn't matter what I think, now does it?" She replied bluntly before smoking what was left of her cigarette and watched the rest be turned to ash and be blown away by the wind.

There was a long silence between them after this, Gandalf simply did not say a word. Well, she was right on this. In the end it will be his decision what will happen. As the leader of the Order, he had to take matters under his own control to solve them. However -unlike Saruman-, Gandalf never liked to close people out of his decisions. He wanted everyone to know that their word was worth as much as his in a debate... only that his debate partner has to have a valid point. And in his mind Hyano had none.

"Why do you think it is different, Hyano...?" He finally asked, turning his attention back to her, placing the pipe between his lips again. "And if you don't like my solution... then what solution would you propose that would actually work?" He asked, already knowing what she will say. There were many thoughts of her that she voiced so far, however to his knowledge they wouldn't work. So she will have to be smart and think things through before suggesting.

Hyano looked towards him from the corner of her eyes, then sighed.

"You have never really spoken with a wraith before, have you? Actually stood with one and had a conversation? Not an argument or anything of that kind... but an actual conversation. If you argue with a wraith they will tell you whatever Sauron believes because that is in their nature. However... when you really talk to them... they will tell you what they really think. Ren may not have his emotions but he still thinks, talks, acts like he did when he was human. Besides the control Sauron put on him, not that much has really changed in him. If he was truly dead... don't you think he would be nothing more than a mindless drone?" She explained herself.

"Sauron's dark magic still stayed, so the ring is yet active. In this case it still works, whispering him what to say and how to behave, going in a way in... standby mode until their master returns. What he says and thinks are not the thoughts of a living creature." Gandalf said, kind of thinking out loud than anything, remembering that this wasn't the first time the Nazgul lost their master. And yet they always sought what he desired, then went back to him once he called for them.

Hyano rolled her eyes, then sighed, thinking not answering his next question for a little while. However an idea did finally come to her.

"...me..." She said, then grinned before turning to Gandalf. "I'm the reason he can take any magic. Through our connection I take in magic and convert it to dark magic for him. If we can maybe... change that somehow..." She suggested, hoping Gandalf might be able to put more to her idea.

The White wizard blinked and raised an eyebrow at her... idea. He did make research about their connection but he never thought of using this connection to alter the wraith itself. Mainly because the dark magic and curse was just too great to affect him with anything else than dark magic... Wait...

"You can... convert magic at will for him?" He asked, tilting his head slightly to the side, frowning, unsure if that was even possible. He thought they only take magic from the world through each other and convert it themselves... But that she is able to convert it herself at will was something new...

"How else is he going to get it?" The orange wizard pointed out. "It isn't really at will so much as a result of what happened. Despite the world being... dark there really is no dark magic in the old world. All that is left is the light magic I was feeding off of. So when we connected because I had been tainted at one point, I acted like a converter, converting the magic around us into the magic his dark form requires... But what if that was tweaked?" She suggested.

"So, you propose..." Gandalf trailed off, frowning even deeper, clearly not sure about the idea. "... that we use your connection and your converting ability to alter him? That is a rather... unlikely success. To truly change him, we would need to make him 'better', more pure but the moment you convert that light magic its effects also get altered... How do you go around that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge, wanting to see just how far the girl was thinking before suggesting the idea.

Hyano thought for a moment, crossing her arms and legs as she pondered.

"I'm sure such an act can be controlled. There has to be a way. That is all istari are. Magic. If I can't control the magic in my own body then there is a serious problem there... I just... need to find out how. Up until now I haven't bothered to really put much thought into what exactly my body was doing. I had more than a few other things keeping me busy. Namely a wraith that loved to argue with me." She said, grumbling the last part, remembering the many conversations she and Ren had. Not all of which ended so well.

The White wizard just had to chuckle a little at the last remark. He had to recognize of course that Hyano indeed knew more about the wraith, had been living with him for a very long time, spoke to him, listened to him, argued and had fun or fought him, so knows most about his nature and what to expect of him. He was also aware of the fact that the girl won't be able to take magic now without the Nazgul, which also meant that today or tomorrow he will have to shed his statue form... He just hoped everything will go well. If he tries to escape they will imprison him. And he will try. He knew that.

"The last time I trusted you with the wraith you ended up betraying me and running off with him..." He couldn't help but note this, crossing his arms over his robed chest. "Can I trust you this time?" He asked, meeting her gaze, the question itself also written all over his features. He didn't know if he should even let her do this, only to have her run off again.

Hyano raised an eyebrow at the question, then sighed, knowing all too well why the question was directed towards her.

"I would have run off anyway Gandalf. It had less to do with Ren than you might think. I was... scared of being alone again. I was a child with no one around. Istari aren't meant to have children for this reason and sooner or later I was going to run off and find someone to keep me company. Ren just happened to be there at that moment." She replied honestly. It was what she had been feeling at the time and they were the feelings of a child but in the end... that was what she was and everyone had demanded far too much of someone at her mental state at the time. "I do not have any reason to run this time. If this works... I never will. In any case, I plan on being kept on lockdown anyway. In a cave underground would be best. If this works... the transition itself will start with a 'bang', then after that it will be slow. He will resist and it's going to hurt like the void... for us both... We shouldn't be out where anyone can see." She added, having a quite good idea of how this would go. Ren might very well try to kill her at one point if he ever finds out it is her that is causing him this pain he is likely to go through. It will take a number of days, if not weeks.

"Are you sure? Underground caves normally have no light." The wizard noted this important detail. If what she planned she wanted to work, then she will need a lot of energy to keep going. If she wishes to go into a dark cave, then there will be no sunlight to give her that excessive energy. In addition he was thinking that he might try to speed the process by adding his own magic to it, making the effects maybe more intensive but very tiring for all three of them. "And if you yearned for company back then, why didn't you say so instead of running off like that with a wraith. I have visited while he was there... Yet you said nothing. Despite what people think, the White cannot read minds." He chuckled and shook his head at this, thinking back of the many times when people thought he did but all he did was predict something that was just all too plain to see.

"I did." Hyano replied, remembering how many times she had asked Gandalf _'why do you have to go?_ ', _'Can't you stay longer?_ ', _'When will you be back?_ '. "But I was always told about the ways of an istar, reminded that we are loners and travelers. So I learned to keep my thoughts to myself." She added with a shrug, then pondered over the situation for a moment. "If you can think of a better place, then I am game but we need to stay away from everyone else. That is really the main point of the cave." She stated honestly.

Gandalf couldn't help but shake his head at her, giving her a scolding look.

"But have I ever denied you to come with me?" He asked, raising a white eyebrow. "I for one didn't tell you to reside at the shack. You chose to do so. I could not stay indeed when I visited because I had my own tasks. But you could have come with me... I might have never invited you but didn't forbid you either. It was all your choice." He pointed this out, then hummed at the thought on the cave she requested, although was puzzled at and pondered about the term she used, although decided to not point it out. He assumed it meant she was alright with the idea. "But in a cave you won't have enough sunlight if at all. You will grow weak before you could even do anything. While he would be more powerful in return... We need another location..."

The orange istar shook her head, having to admit he was right about the invitation part. She never thought about it that way. She assumed it was best to let the subject drop for now and instead focus on their situation right now. While she indeed could last longer and was not so much dependent on the sunlight unlike as a child, she still needed to prevent Ren from growing his power and possibly out-power her.

"Do you have any idea where else we could go? Maybe a mountain top? Somewhere that lacks shade would be best considering we are dealing with a wraith that will need to be kept weak." She suggested, looking towards him. He knew the land better than she ever could at this point.

Gandalf shook his head, finding the mountain top idea not right at all. The wraith can easily just... slide down or fall down and survive, get away and hide until no one finds him.

"There... might be maybe... a..." He trailed off, stroking his white beard, a frown appearing on his face as he thought about what he is going to say. "There might be a... an underground cavern system. We can close down its exits. The main chamber of this system has a hole on its roof where sunlight goes in but the walls are steep and the rocks are loose so no one can climb out from there. However, the elves sometimes use that place for their celebrations every month. So we might need to convince them to take their celebrations elsewhere for a while..."

Hyano considered this, then looked at him.

"The family I brought with me are about to celebrate their holiday. Maybe we could convince them to mix their events. Naturally the family is going to want to celebrate in the open among nature." Hyano suggested, not bothered by the idea of being in the caverns. If anything, it was perfect. "We are going to need a lot of torches." She said, quite sure that whatever number they already had in the system were not nearly enough.

"Torches? For what?" Gandalf asked, unsure why she would ask for torches. The cavern system is going to be closed, so she won't be moving away too much from the main chamber, which will have enough sunlight for her... He did mention that, didn't he? "There will be sunlight for you." He pointed it out yet again, just to be sure. "We can even communicate by letters if you want. There are a few bats who owe me some." He chuckled, shaking his head at the memory when he made the deal with those cave-residers. It was time to remind them of it. The comment about the family and their celebration didn't go unheard of course either, however he thought this will be something for the family and the elves to workout. He might mention it to the elves but the family will have to make the first move for this.

"They aren't for me... they are for Ren. He will find whatever shadow or dark place he can find if given the chance... The point is to stop him from finding that place. That way he is forced to stay in the light and by me in order to not lose power altogether." She explained to him. While there was a skylight, that did little help if Ren took off for the nearest dark corner he could find. He would just stay there until he had no choice but to come back and even then there was a risk his stubborn nature might make him stay away anyway until he just turned himself to stone again.

"Oh... I understand..." The wizard nodded, now knowing why she asked for the torches. But he wondered if fire had the same effect as the sun. Surely not as its light was different but it was a known fact that Nazgul hate fire, yet are sometimes hypnotized by it if the fire was slow in movement. So it might work... But well... she knows it better, after all she lived with him for a long time. He trusted Hyano, yet didn't at the same time... This is why a closed space was truly needed. To prevent their escape in any way, shape and form. "I will tell the elves to prepare it. How long do you think you can last without your... connection?" He asked, wanting to know if they should hurry up or not... Hyano did say after all that she needed the wraith to get to magic.

"If I conserve my energy and magic... maybe a day." The orange wizard admitted honestly. She had done all she could to avoid using magic of any kind at all costs since they arrived but to an istar magic was also like energy and she had no means of recovering it. Not even sleeping in the sun was any good to her at this point. She might as well be in the darkest place there can be at this point because without Ren this world was basically having the same effect.

Gandalf frowned. This is a rather short time to prepare everything thoroughly if he announced this to the elves tomorrow. So, they will have to handle today. As soon as possible at that.

"I will get the preparations going. By tomorrow noon everything should be ready for the process." He said as he stroked his beard in deep thought, before another matter came into his mind. "I have heard and seen that there are edible mushrooms down there, including a clean stream. But we will somehow get in some food for you every day." He said, bringing up the matter of food and water. It will be a long time they spend there, so she will need enough to eat and drink.

Hyano thought on this, then nodded.

"Don't worry too much about it. Ren will at some point throw a tantrum and will likely do what he can to make matters hard on me. He won't be able to do much but even the small victory of keeping me from eating or drinking will likely count for him if he can't outright kill me." She replied, knowing that the first few days were going to be... to say the least... crazy.

Gandalf couldn't help but chuckle.

"Nazgul and tantrums... I myself only saw very furious ones when fighting but never have I seen one rant or become agitated because of something else than combat. Surely it would be interesting to watch but..." He sighed and brought the pipe to his mouth again. "... I won't take the risk. I will let you handle him. However still remember to eat. One can't survive for long if one is kept from food or water. You will die down there..." He warned her before sighing and slowly standing. It was time to give the news to the elves and start preparing. "Let us hope this works. If not... then we have to think of a different solution for the both of you..."

"If this doesn't work... then I doubt either of us is getting out of there." The likely outcome of this not working was if one of them would end up dead. Hyano already knew it was a risk. However... she wasn't ready to just give up. Death hadn't scared her for a long time so she wasn't about to let it now. She stood up. "Maybe if I point this out he might calm down somewhat..." She sighed and pushed her hands upwards, stretching as she flexed and relaxed her muscles in an attempt to wake them up. "Ever since his imprisonment in Mordor he seems to... act a little strange in locked spaces."

"Strange?" Gandalf asked, raising a white eyebrow at her claim. He honestly had still trouble seeing Ren as more than a mindless bloodthirsty ghost. Yet here was Hyano, who gave him a personality and handled him like an old friend. He doubted her motivation when it came to the creature but he had to admit... she knew more about it than he did by now.

"I guess the most appropriate description would be... panic. He does not become a nervous wreck like a human but there is something about him. Something almost unnerving when he is locked into somewhere." Hyano explained and sighed, frowning as she remembered that one occasion when she could see this for herself. "I once ended up locking him in the basement for the night without meaning to and when I came back... I swear I saw claw marks even on the ceiling..." She chuckled, shaking her head. She could still remember when she woke up she suddenly remembered that she locked the basement and quickly rushed down to open it. He was sitting right in front of the door and she almost managed to stumble over him. He didn't say anything, just walked out like nothing happened, however she could see a couple of claw marks on the walls and the door. She could not quite take a good look at the one on the ceiling...

"It is strange to think about the creature like this..." The White wizard noted and began to walk, his hands finding his white beard again. She truly should not blame him as he did not have such a good experience with them. He fought them all personally at Dol Guldur but the only real close encounter had been his small conversation with the Witch-king in Minas Tirith in the Third Age. When the creature spoke, it was not speaking its own mind, instead it relied the message that Sauron had for him. It did not possess its own will. They could murder without a second thought and Ren was able to do the same, he was sure. Thinking about them as anything else than enemies was a hard task for Gandalf. "The last time I have seen him was in Mordor, at the ruins of Barad-dûr." He explained, keeping his blue gaze on the ground they walked, letting his memories flow back like a river undisturbed. "After seeing his mindless struggle and the words he spewed like an orc... I did not think he would be able to feel anything else than hatred and disgust. He was nothing different from all the wraiths I have met from the Nine." The older wizard was aware that the behavior of the wraith must have been different compared to the one he had when Sauron controlled his every move but still... He was and will stay a Nazgul. No amount of magic will change that.

"This is because you fought them. They had no reason to show you who they really were. Ren talked about you a few times and it was clear to me that he did not favor you. He despises you, I guess that isn't a surprise." Hyano explained to him, sighing as she remembered the many times Gandalf would pop up in their conversation. Ren never had a good word to say about him. She did not blame him either. They did not have the best experience with one another. "But... Gandalf... You should have seen him that night." She smiled and looked up at him. "The way he sat there in the mud... just... looked down, hugging himself as if he was cold. He looked like a lost puppy. A lost puppy without its master." She recalled the very moment she laid eyes upon him and chuckled when she remembered his troubles with the mud. Oh how many times he slipped on the way to the shack... She sighed and shook her head at the memories with a small smile. "After that... he started learning. It was so easy to entertain him... Just with a roll of parchment. He would spend hours just unrolling it and rolling them up again. Everything was new to him like... he never even saw the world as what it was..."

"Because he didn't see it as it was." Gandalf clarified, raising an eyebrow at the orange wizard and her musings. From the way she talked, he could tell these memories were precious to her, no matter what happened after that. It disturbed him somewhat. "Sauron's grip on the minds of his servants was tight. He wanted everything to happen in the way he imagined they would. Such small things like... how beautiful rainfall was or how one can bounce on a cot did not make their efforts more successful so... they never were meant to pay attention to it. Now that his mind was free... he could notice all this. Think of it like a child seeing such things for the first time."

Hyano hissed at this and grimaced, thinking back on the time when Ren made a mess of her phone. Yes, she could easily compare him to a child. He was one, actually. A big overgrown spoiled child, who also pouted like one. But this child was her friend. Her mentor. Her mate. Wherever he went, she will follow.

"Oh yes, I can relate him to a child. Like the time when he was poking my bunnies with my staff or when he picked apart every gadget I had in my home. Or the food fight in the kitchen. Let us not talk about that time when I had to somehow coax him from the roof after he found a cat there." She snickered, which earned a confused stare from Gandalf but she just waved it off. She was mostly talking to herself here, recalling those days when it was all about learning from one another. Now... they will have to put these lessons to good use. "Since I won't be here, do you mind helping the family with their celebration? I won't be able to set the fireworks off for them and I thought if nothing else you will have fun with that?" She asked as she followed him, deciding to change the subject. The more she talked about the past, the more she missed those times. It was best to tend to the future. They had a lot to do.

Gandalf chuckled, laughing at her request despite their previous subject and shook his head.

"Oh but that will be no problem at all. You know me and fireworks... The question is... What can they take? And is there some kind of a... custom at what types you want them to see?" He asked, now with his mood lifted. Fireworks were something he liked and was good at, creating his own and lighting them just at the right time and location. Who doesn't love fireworks? "When will it be?" He asked, now calming down a little, knowing that this was something serious and something very important for the herder family.

"The night after tomorrow night. They will likely spend tomorrow meditating and creating their stick structures. The first blast has to simulate the flash we saw from the spell. Then after that the explosions should look similar to the structures they made. You can of course throw your artistic hand in there but Lilly and Cane should make that unneeded. Lilly always has good ideas and Cane is very good at creating them. So in the end the lightshow is more an artistic display than anything. After that is done you just let the fire burn itself out. That normally takes a number of hours, usually long enough for some dance and martial arts displays while everyone eats and has a good time. Once the fire is burnt out all that is left is ash. Everyone takes a handful, blows it away and then lets the wind do the rest." She explained to him. She had done it so many times by now it was next to second nature.

Gandalf stroked his beard as he listened to everything she said, noting the details in his mind, frowning here and there, while at most parts he smiled, finding it rather touching how they still remember their fallen comrade who did not make it through the change. Celebrating her too... and the risk she was ready to take knowing she might die. In the end she did but her death represented the price and the true importance of their choice. Everything about this event spoke of the respect they held for this one choice.

"Alright. I believe I can get it done." He said and nodded, then turned to walk towards the city, looking back briefly to make sure she was following him and could catch up. "I wonder if we can bring it together with the elves' monthly celebration... They have one soon... Why not give them a bigger crowd? The question is..." He trailed off and turned towards her. "Who would bring the sacrifice of pushing the time of their celebration?"

Hyano blinked and thought.

"That would be harder on the family... They would have to continue fasting. I'm sure they would be willing if asked simply to be hospitable if only because they are somewhere they don't know so well but it would hardly be healthy. Especially for Lilly." She said, though she wasn't sure herself how the elves would react to having their own celebration moved. How would this affect them?

Gandalf hummed as he walked, thinking it through. Indeed the family would suffer if they had to go on with fasting farther than usual, especially the children would be affected rather badly. However, he saw no reason why the elves cannot move their celebration this month forward by one week. The celebration itself was never too big, never needed too much preparation on their part, so he saw no problem in that. But ultimately this will be the decision of the elves.

"How about I tell the elves about the preparing of the cave, while you go and speak to them about this celebration. You can explain it to them better, they surely will understand." He offered, looking at her, hoping they can divide the work.

Hyano thought it over for a moment before nodding.

"Alright. I think I should go first. Might make it easier to convince them to move the day of their celebration if don't talk about the wraith first. That would make them a little against anything I have to say." She said, not wanting to fail before they even got a chance to start. "Is there a council we have to talk to or how does this go exactly?" She questioned, wondering how the hierarchy went around here. The elves of Middle-Earth weren't really that united with king Thranduil leading Mirkwood and Elrond residing in Rivendell. Not to mention the elves that lived in the west.

"No... I don't plan on disclosing this to the leaders. I have a band of trusted elves in the city, I will inform them to prepare the cave. And as for you..." He trailed off, stopping their walk while he thought. "Well... you could ask the elves who handle the celebrations... Because honestly... I never paid too much attention to that..." He chuckled with a shrug, giving her a smile, then started on again, taking his time for now, his blue eyes surveying the noisy green forest and the clean sky. Tonight the stars will be bright as it seemed.

Hyano thought to herself, then nodded.

"Should be easier enough... Do you even know who these elves are or am I going to have to go on a manhunt?" She asked teasingly, quite sure Gandalf had a basic idea but besides anything to do with explosions and drinks he probably could not care less. He loved watching the party more often than not. Not being a part of it. It was alright, though. Hyano found she was much the same way. It was likely an istar thing if nothing else.

"Well... Ummm..." Gandalf stroked his beard as he thought hard on the subject... Where are those elves? Which elves are they? He hummed and tapped his staff with his fingers as he held it. "I think... you will have to ask the hunters. They normally participate in the preparation. Bring the food in... They can tell you where to find those who organize it... Just... look for elves with a bow strapped to their backs without formal armor." He guessed more than thought, smiling at her tease before nudging her with his shoulder. "So yes, a manhunt. Now, off you go." He chuckled, gesturing towards the city. He won't be exactly heading there...

Hyano couldn't help but laugh before remembering something.

"Oh yes... Here." She pulled out a spare pack of her cigarettes and a lighter. One that actually had what man thought he looked like based on the stories on it. Though it was still when he was a gray. She handed it to him with a smile. "I assumed you might have a little fun with these. If for no other reason besides the fact you are on it." She said, then waved. "See you back at the shack." She said and took off for the city.

Alright now where in Valar's name were the bloody hunters?

* * *

 **Ah... The good old memories. All the fun we had...**

 **We hope you liked this chapter too!**

 _CA Productions_


	4. Clockworks Turning

**Oh, it is Thursday already? Enjoy the new chapter, people!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 4 - Clockworks Turning

After the details of the celebrations were dealt with and the elves who organized the festival agreed to put its date a bit sooner to accommodate the one of the herder people, mainly because they were quite curious, Hyano made it home to the shack first and after talking to the family, she proceeded to walk over to the young ones' bed and pass out with them.

She was so worn out.

It felt like she had been running constantly for days despite her lack of energy really coming from a lack of magic. This did not bother the already sleeping children. If anything they easily snuggled up to her, likely used to her presence, considering she had been in their lives for as long as they could remember.

Rosa was awake earlier than anyone else and was standing by the table with a huge smile on her face. Her parents were still fast asleep and so she tried her best to be quiet but she was just so excited by this point she couldn't sleep, so instead she poured herself a glass of water and sat down at the table, just taking a moment to relax and calm herself.

Yesterday had been wonderful.

The herder girl spent it with the elf boy who led them through the sea to this world. He was friendly, unlike how she expected, and showed her the city, along with some of the forest before they met up with Gandalf and the enormous tree herder. She had never seen such a magical place. It was so calming, so... familiar. Like, she was supposed to live here and not in that polluted and lifeless mud patch on the sea that they called Middle-Earth. She doesn't miss it. Not one bit.

Gandalf arrived only a few hours later, having spoken to the elves and helped them take care of the cave they talked about. The entrances were all sealed except of one, which was only partially closed, just so Hyano and the statued Nazgul could pass through. He made sure to equip the usually dim cave with torches, lining the wall with them without leaving any kind of hole or small openings in the wall unlit. The wraith will surely attempt to remove them, so he prepared a bit of a surprise for him. The wizard also set the guarding schedules for the small group of elves, so they will never be unguarded, even if he had to move away. As for him, Gandalf planned to keep an eye on the happenings by sitting close to the opening on the ceiling of the cave. He wanted to share this news with the younger wizard, so slowly walked up to the bed after having located her and stopped, reached out to shake her shoulder just a little bit.

"Hyano, wake up... It is ready." He whispered, wanting to make sure that she still has enough energy to move there. After all, she said she can still go about today but her energy will be drained almost completely.

Hyano didn't react in the slightest. Anyone who didn't know better might think her dead because her body was limp to say the least.

The little girl beside her started to wake and quickly noticed this.

"Aunty Hyano? Are you okay?" She asked and shook Hyano, earning no reaction. It had been some time since Hyano had done this for others to see. Mostly because she had found out how to avoid it, however in this world -considering her situation- there had been no avoiding this. Her body just couldn't take the lack of energy.

Quickly, the White wizard reached out and put a hand to her neck, looking for a pulse while his eyes showed his concern and worry, which vanished quickly the moment he felt what he was looking for. It wasn't all that strong but it was still there. There were surely no fights, neither was she in trouble, seeing the family told him they talked before they went to bed. Which meant only one thing. The White sighed and stood straight, his hand gripping his staff tighter and drummed his fingers on it.

"We have no time to spare. She cannot take the lack of magic anymore... She needs that dark creature or she will not survive... or she will stay in this state." He told them and turned his gaze to look at the parents. "Could you please help me move her? We need to get her to the cave. After this I will tell the elves to bring the statue... This cannot wait..."

The father, Will nodded, waving for his wife to go ahead and take the children with her to see the elf about the upcoming festival. He then knelt down and lifted the small girl easily.

"Lead the way..." He said to the wizard. It was obvious that the family had a lot of love for the orange wizard and only wanted to see her well.

Rosa watched for a moment before helping her mother pick up her younger siblings and walked out with them, not wanting them to worry too much. She would follow her mother until they reached the city, then they would part ways so she could go to work.

Gandalf of course was grateful for the help and nodded with a smile at the man before gesturing towards the door.

"This way." He said and started their journey towards the cave they prepared.

The trip wasn't all that long, as their destination was located not far from the edge of the city, however it was somehow always far more peaceful and quiet, which made it the perfect location for this process. He also was glad to see one more elf about, one of the small team that worked for him, so made sure to tell him to bring the statue. It was time. He just hoped that Hyano will be alright. If her life will be in danger... he will have to step in and separate the two in different cells so she can still get magic but won't be in the wraith's reach...

The wizard showed the father to the cave, going through a small entrance they left. The interior seemed barren, a single hole on the ceiling provided sunlight, while the many torches placed in also illuminated the chamber, just as she asked. All other entrances were sealed with rocks. A small stream of water flowed within the cave, along with many mushrooms growing about the floor. Some moss and small critters also could be found.

The man kept quiet as he walked and once he was sure he was in the right place he stood waiting. He heard a noise coming from the entrance soon enough and some elves appeared, carrying the statue in their grips. Although Ren was not light even as a moving and spectral creature, as a statue this weight only doubled. When the wraith was brought in as well he could feel a slight change in the air. The connection was there, showing even though the two creatures were both in a way incapacitated. He moved as close as he dared and this seemed to be enough for the wizard.

She groaned as she started to wake and her forest green eyes slowly started to open, she looked up and noticed Ren. Well, the statue that he still was.

"Put me down..." She ordered and the father did as told, stepping back from her. Hyano could hardly stand at this point but she did her best "Gandalf... get everyone away and make sure no one else comes in here." She said, not wanting anyone to get hurt. Ren would kill anything that moved... Sooner or later he likely would try to kill Hyano as well. However, it was less risky with fewer people here.

The White wizard nodded, although concern was written all over his features. While everyone else left, he walked up to her slowly, stopping in front of her and reached out to put a hand on her shoulder gently, kaaping his blue gaze strictly on hers.

"Make sure you stay alive, Hyano. If you need me, just shout. There will be always someone up there at the hole. So if you won't be alone completely. If you need fruits or any other food, we can send it down on a rope. Here is water and some mushrooms, some moss..." He stopped, knowing he didn't need to continue. He was being too protective of the young wizard. She is grown now, so can take care of herself, so let his hand fall from her shoulder and sighed, his gaze never leaving hers. "Just make sure you stay alive, alright?" With this, he gave her a gentle smile and turned, using his staff to support his walk out of the cave.

Hyano smiled a little at the older wizard, then stood, waiting for the sound of the entrance being sealed completely before looking at Ren. She could sense that draw. The same feeling he caused the first time she saw him again. If anything, it was a lot stronger this time, maybe because she was more aware of it. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then whispered.

"Here goes everything." Then she reached out a hand to touch his gauntlet. When her skin met the cold stone, she felt the rush of magic. The pure energy that exploded washed over her senses.

Just like at the first time, the stone started to crack slowly but surely, starting from the very spot she touched him. Soon enough the cracks covered the whole statue and it started to give out sounds of breaking stone as the layer below the outer shell started to come to life. If one can call that with a Nazgul. Not a moment later, the outer layer almost exploded, sending stone pieces everywhere, while at the same time the shriek of a Nazgul could be heard, the creature falling down onto his hands and knees, his shoulders shaking a little at the effort and transformation. It took a great deal of energy from him, which his dark aura quickly tried to compensate by latching itself onto hers greedily and suckling, converting her own magic to dark and directed it into the spectral body of the wraith to sustain his recovery.

The wizard flinched, using her arms to block the explosion and gasped as they were reconnected. Her body felt like it had finally been allowed to breathe after being stuck underwater for Valar knows how long. It felt fantastic, however she had to quickly shake her head and feel for something else. Their connection. If she wanted to make this work, she had to be fast about it, make this work way before he would be aware of his surroundings, before he could question anything, before he could get comfortable in their new prison. The sooner she started, the faster she would be over this. She also meant to satisfy Gandalf. Hesitation was not an option.

It took only a matter of seconds for the orange wizard to sense it and then she gritted her teeth as she forced it to make the required changes. She wasn't sure if Ren would notice... or how his body would react in the first few moments. However she did know this would likely hit him like a ton of bricks.

What she forgot is that she was not the only one who had access to their connection. While Ren was not aware of what she was doing at the moment, his dark aura noticed the slightest of changes and simply worked against her efforts to undo the changes she was trying to make to their connection. Of course this way her work was harder. The wraith had as much right and as much access to this as she had, seeing their connection was mutual. However Ren could not control it the way she could, mainly because he was not a mage and had no knowledge of such magical tricks. His aura and ring on the other hand was just enough to maintain and control this sensitive yet strong connection. So for now, her efforts were in vain.

Hyano sensed this but knew already it was temporary. The ring and his aura did this subconsciously. She knew exactly what she was doing. At best this might last a day, then his aura would be overloaded. She smiled as she saw him and knelt beside his exhausted form.

"Welcome to your new prison." She greeted, being blunt about the fact they weren't getting out of here anytime soon. They already knew this was a risk before they came here. The fact they were alive was surprising in itself actually, so this was a quite good deal. She knew Ren might not see it the same way.

The wraith wasn't exactly paying attention to her or what she said at first but was trying to get his bearings. The light within the room wasn't making it any easier for him either. He flinched when she spoke right beside him, having not expected a voice so close but eventually hissed and sat up, moving to sit cross-legged on the floor, his hooded head now lifting to note their location. Which -to say the least- wasn't that clear to him because of the light. He wasn't yet aware that they are in an enclosed space.

His mind was slow to start, like the last time this happened to him but this didn't mean he did not hear what she said, only that it took him a long time to process it. His hearing soon got sharper and his sight cleared somewhat but the first sense that went fully active was his sense of smell. The air was thick, slightly humid and the familiar scent of his mate made him that much more confident. What made his spectral body tense up was the other scent he could smell. Well, scents.

Elves.

The White wizard.

He could remember their stench and could smell it from miles away. His gauntleted hands gripped the dirt below him into tight fists and he let out a hiss involuntarily to warn anyone who was not an ally. The sense of danger was thick in his mind but eventually he managed to process what she said, which caused the Nazgul to tense up even more. Prison? What was she talking about? Didn't she bring him in and hide him as he told her to do it?

"What?" He asked demandingly and turned his invisible gaze towards her, now the words starting to register fully and the weight of its meaning began to sink in. Prison? What? Why? How? He stared at her for what seemed like minutes before quickly standing, although shakily and started to move about, almost tripping at times and desperately tried to look for a way out even with him being half blinded.

"Relax Ren. We aren't dead. If anything, I think we are doing well considering all our options." The orange wizard said as she watched him walk about, already knowing he wouldn't find a way out. She looked up, knowing Gandalf was likely right above them and was wondering for a moment if he was watching through an orb or just listening before turning her eyes back to the wraith. "We will just be stuck here for a while. Nothing we haven't done before." She pointed out calmly with her hands in her pockets. It was true, though. If one didn't count when Ren was locked up before they had been in a situation where they had to remain underground for a long time and until they really got their bearings it had been a borderline prison. Much more deadly if one included all the orcs.

The wraith hissed as his search was in vain, his hands moving towards and met the wall each time he reached it, finding no exit. All his nose told him he found was dirt, mud, even more dirt... Rocks. The Nazgul let out a sharp hiss when he felt his foot find no ground beneath at his next step, so ended up stumbling forward right across the stream that flowed through the cave. The water splashed loudly and sharply, making the wraith hiss in irritation at the sound but he just shook his head and stepped out of the stream onto solid ground. He did not seem to care about how wet his cloak became. His mind was concentrating on something else. He could swear he must have made one round already in their prison but could not find an exit.

 _No escape._

 _Not again..._

He heard her words of course but he was too busy going around the room at least three times before finally simply letting himself fall on his behind and crossed his legs and arms, finding he lost his energy in his frantic search. He panted and looked around again with his gaze, only to shake his head in annoyance at the light that surrounded him. He was rather frustrated by now.

No! Not a prison! No prison can keep him inside!

His anger was only fueled by the stench of the elves.

* * *

 _-flashback-_

 _He could still remember the sound of metal meeting metal, the dying roars of his army as they were slain right before his invisible gaze, rendering victory impossible from that point on. He built it all up... now it was washed away with the black blood of his minions. He could remember the gaze of the White wizard as he stared at him while he was taken away in chains, standing above the limp body of his second in command._

 _The chains._

 _They rattled. He could not remember what all he must have shouted, what commands he tried to rely on his troops because all the sounds he could recall was the rattling of his chains. They were sharp, irritating, it over-shouted his voice. It was the sound of the promise of his eternal imprisonment. The sound of his failure._

 _He failed his Lord..._

 _He failed everything he stood for; he failed his last command before his silence. He wanted to please him, to make it right. If he could just free himself... he could have slain all those puny long-ears. But the metal of the chains held him, like the strongest jaws of the greatest dragon. It enclosed him into a state of helplessness, a state he was not familiar with. It only made him struggle more. The more he struggled, the angrier he became. He attempted to push against his captors and return to the battle, his metal boots digging into the blood-soaked ground as deep as he could but it was to no avail. He only ended up falling backwards when they jerked on his struggling form._

 _But he always stood up again to give it another try._

 _As the darkness fell, he felt his power rise, his mind worked sharper, his sight doubled and his nose could smell the White was far away, too far to be a challenge to him now. With a desperate attempt, the wraith decided to change his tactic. If pulling away does not work, then he will have to disable the other end. He collected the power he had left and pushed backwards towards his destination again, causing the elves who held his chains to dig their own feet into the ground and pull..._

 _This was what he was waiting for._

 _Hissing, the wraith suddenly released the force he had on the chains and charged towards one of the elves. With the restraint loosened, he was able to extend his clawed hands and attack with the full force of his vengeance, putting all anger he had into it. He managed to surprise the elf and clawed him right across the face first, feeling as his soft flesh gave way against the hard metal. The scent of pure blood flooded his senses, which fueled his fury. His hand went down a couple of more times, grasping and slicing wherever he could find him and went for the next but he felt one of his hands being pulled back by the chains. The elves probably got their bearings and tried to immobilize him but he was not having any of that. With a furious hiss, he attacked the one who pulled but once he did, the other side held him fast. Soon enough, he was left with no option to attack, as both his hands and his feet were pulled apart. Shrieking in anger, the Nazgul grasped one of the chains and yanked on it, causing one of the elves to stumble forward._

 _But before he could make a move, they decided to take his small freedom as well._

 _The next thing Ren knew was that all elves suddenly moved around, the chains twisting and turning in different directions before they pulled on it, causing his hands and feet to yank into unnatural directions... and he ended up on the ground with a heavy thud._

 _Before he could get up, they were on him. He could not hear their words because all he heard was the rattling... and the feeling of the chains going all around his body, like a snake slinging around its prey before it suffocated it. No matter how much he struggled, how much he pulled, he could not free himself any longer. The wraith's hands and feet were tightly secured with the chains, binding them together._

 _Now he felt like a cattle... bound for slaughter..._

 _His struggles were now in vain... No amount of force applied by him will free him from this predicament. All he could do was walk along as much as the chains let him, watching helplessly as the rocks and the trees went by. With every pull they made he was taken farther from his battle._

 _But this could not be it._

 _No._

 _He worked too hard to please his Lord, to fulfill his command as he ordered him. He prepared far better than this. Where was his second in command? Where was his mate? Where was she when he required her assistance? She must be nearby. She was just waiting for the right opportunity. He trained her well and had the confidence in her abilities._

 _But the more time passed and the farther he was taken... the more the poisonous stench of doubt engulfed his mind. He could not afford it in such a key situation. The troops cannot abandon their lord._

 _He just needed to pull time... and so he did by struggling once again._

 _By the time they reached the Black Gates of Mordor, the wraith has spent the last of his energy a long time ago. He was lying on the ground and was pulled by the elves like a dead carcass. He made no move and made no sound, as he could not. He lost his voice, he predicted. His hands and feet would no longer bend to his will. Although his spectral body was defeated, his mind was as awake and was as struggling as it ever has. They will not break him._

 _He could hear the familiar sound of stone sliding on the ground. The tone and noise... The Black Gates. He didn't know why but this calmed him somewhat. Perhaps because he remembered it as his sanctuary, the place where they could be as close to their Dark Lord as they could be, where they heard his voice the strongest, where he gave the commands the loudest. Any other meaning to this was foreign._

 _Ren just laid there, watching as the rocks passed him by. Then a patch of dry grass... a dead bush... Then a broken spear, struck to the ground. This woke up his senses and he lifted his hooded head to see the sight that awaited him. The earth was split, enormous holes and cliffs littered the once great flat land that stretched before the gates. There were remains of armor and weapons, abandoned flags were ripped at by the strong wind that swept the barren and dead land. There was no loud chanting of orcs... No sound of metal hitting metal as they worked on the walls and behind the gates. There was only silence that awaited him..._

 _He could not understand..._

 _The Nazgul's hooded head turned from one direction to the other as he was dragged along, only to tilt it to the side when they passed the Black Gates when finally, the aftermath of the battle here was revealed to him. The great tower of Barad-dûr, once stood tall and was the beacon to all the servants of the Dark Lord... was in ruins. Or what remained of the ruins. The strong walls of the tower lay scattered, defeated on the ground. The flaming and bleeding eye of their Lord was nowhere to be found._

 _The lack of the eye and the lack of the tower only confused the Nazgul further. He was still searching for both with his slightly blurred vision. His mind was unable to connect the rubble on the ground to the missing tower. It always awaited him, after all. The sight of his Lord's presence was eternal. His mind told him it was. So where was it now? maybe they are at the wrong location after all. Yes... that must be it._

 _His sight-seeing was cut short as suddenly many pairs of hands grasped his spectral body and hauled him up from his position on the ground. It made him hiss in irritation, annoyed that his train of thoughts had been broken. He needed to make sense of this all but they did not let him. At the sight of elves, Ren began to struggle again. The rattling. That damned rattling of chains was loud as he was moved; it was ear-piercing once there were cuffs clasped onto his still bound wrists. Before he could move to bite down on the offending hands, they moved away. More were clasped on his legs and finally a bigger one onto his neck. This made the wraith shake his head wildly and struggled against the offending grips. He tried pulling on the new cuffs but they were secured to the broken walls of the once great tower. The chains with which he was brought in were tightened around him and soon their other ends were hammered down onto the ground with the help of thick long nails._

 _He struggled. He really tried but could not move an inch. In his anger, the only thing he could do was form his hands into fists, which were bound to his body tightly by the chains._

 _He was immobilized._

 _By the time he got his bearings, the elves were gone from his sight and he was alone._

 _Alone with the persistent rattling of chains._

 _-end flashback-_

* * *

"What happened?" Ren demanded once his mind returned to ponder about the present. Recalling memories like this was not something he did often if anytime at all. He preferred to not recall it again as it flooded him with frustration. Neither did it help his current situation. Instead, he might as well find out what transpired, having not been there and not heard what was being said, how they were handled and couldn't defend himself either. Ren knew he should not have trusted her with this... Here he was, making the mistake of letting her go through with her plot, only to find himself in this predicament. He will forge the plans himself from now on... He wondered what the plans of these creatures are with them. They surely don't plan on keeping them here forever... And... they needed to put them in here... So there must be an exit... He just can't see it because of these blasted lights!

Hyano continued to watch him. She thought it over for a moment. What could she say? Tell him about the talk she had with Gandalf and how she brought up this very idea? The wraith would kill her in a frenzy of rage.

"Everything went... fairly well. Gandalf values me. That is probably the only reason we aren't dead right now. He found out what was going on the moment we touched the shore. It took him about two days to work out what to do with us. This was his solution. I doubt we will be here forever. Maybe a week or two at most." She replied. She was being honest, just leaving out certain details. Not like he hadn't done the same to her before. However it felt so strange. She never felt like she had to do this. In fact, she still didn't but at the same time she knew she did. This was going to be a long stay.

"A week or two?" Ren asked, turning his hooded head towards her and tilted his head to the side at these words. "And then what? What will happen? I doubt he would just... let us leave all of a sudden." He said, suspecting there is more to this than what she shared with him just now. The White surely wouldn't let one of his kind go and corrupt this world. He surely had a plan. A plan his mate failed to share with him just yet. He hissed as he felt the dance of the light on his spectral body and hunched his shoulders, trying to get away from the offending firelight. But it wasn't easy, considering the room was full with torches as it seemed. He couldn't truly see the source of the light but the dance of shadows told him clearly that fire was burning in the room. Not tolerating it any longer, the wraith soon stood up and neared the walls, trying to find a shadowed spot, standing next to the wall and going along it, testing the darkness here and there.

Hyano watched him, seeing where he would probably end up. Despite the torches there was one spot that had a little shadow. Not enough to really make him comfortable but it was better than the rest of the room.

"This world is in majority all elves. They aren't as hostile as the ones of old but I doubt we will be allowed to live any longer than two weeks. They aren't used to darkness. Many are scared by it. Gandalf was wise enough to try and keep us where we are hidden among only few of the elves but that won't last. So again... we have about two weeks." She replied before sitting cross legged. This time she wasn't lying and she knew Gandalf heard her. There was another risk to their lives that she and Gandalf had not bothered to talk about because they already knew it was there. If this issue was not resolved fast enough the elves would step in. No matter what Gandalf said.

The response was a displeased hiss as he heard her last comment. Ren would first kill himself somehow than let them destroy him. At this, he simply trashed the search for a shady spot and instead looked for an exit, touching the walls, the rocks that sealed the cavers, then stepped into the stream that flowed at a portion of the cave. He hissed at the sudden strange sensation and withdrew his leg before resuming his search.

There must be a way... There was always a way...

This cannot happen to him again!

* * *

 _-flashback-_

 _Time was irrelevant to creatures like him._

 _He did not count days, neither weeks, months or years. Instead, he split his own cycle according to his power. He would struggle for one part and call for his troops while in the other he would just dangle on the chains, listening to the endless rattling, waiting for his power to replenish. That would be one cycle._

 _No matter how much he pulled, how he flexed his body or trashed around like a rabid troll... the chains held him tight. After the numerous cycles that passed they were as firm as the day the elves left it. There was no result of his battle... but as a Nazgul, he did not know defeat. His mind kept telling him to struggle and fight, to yank on his restraints because the reward and the goal was what truly counted. His Lord's wishes shall be fulfilled. His last command has to be answered._

 _No mere chains would stop him._

 _Yet here he was, letting the chains carry his weight as he just let his limp body gather what energy it could. There was no sense of comfort for beings like him but it took some getting used to in order to be able to mediate in such a position. In these times, with nothing else to do but wait, the wraith could do only one thing._

 _Stare._

 _Stare ahead and watch as the wind blew the loose dirt around, forming shapes of different kinds in front of his invisible gaze. He would just dangle there and watch as the dirt piles were reorganized from one place to another, while listening to the chains rattling in the wind. How one pile would be big and the resulting one in its new place would be much smaller. It made him wonder where the rest of the dirt went. Did the wind blow it farther away? Or maybe the small dirt that remained in the original spot had such an impact on it? How would they feel like if he grabbed it? Would it be loose? Would it feel like sand? Could he build shapes with those? If he made the dirt wet, would it be that mud that he hated so much? What about the wind? He could not feel it from his position as the walls blocked it from reaching him. Would it blow him away? It looked strong. The dirt was not a worthy opponent for it..._

 _There were so many questions running through his mind and he felt impatient, frustrated even when he received no answers to them. Hyano made him develop a habit of getting what he wanted in a moment's notice. She had answers to each of his questions. Every each one of them. Now he had much more than he asked her all this time... Where was she when he needed her to answer them? Why wasn't she coming? She was supposed to reach him by now, he was sure. He will give her until his next cycle. If she delays, he will make her regret it._

 _They had so much to do still..._

 _While he was staring at times like these, Ren liked planning too. He rethought their tactics in Moria and had a lot of ideas about where to go from there. He had some faint schemes on how to get rid of the White. But they meant nothing if he could not share them with anyone. They only made sense if someone listened to them and fulfilled them for him. But there was no one... Every moment he still braced himself for the sound of the orc blacksmith's hammers striking the unruly metal to bend it to their will. Or maybe for an angry roar of a troll which was hauling rocks and equipments for the walls._

 _He didn't understand where these sounds went._

 _Or where everyone and everything went._

 _At the end of it all, he did not care about it the slightest. These questions, thoughts and plans would be forgotten by him once he regained his strength._

 _His greatest goal was right in front of his invisible gaze._

 _It was right there..._

 _If... If he could just reach out for it..._

 _-end flashback-_

* * *

"How did they get us inside?" The Nazgul asked suddenly. "We can go out the same way. Use your magic! You have plenty after this. There is light. Too much of them..." He reminded her of the torches and the annoying sunlight that seeped into the cave from above, which meant she could power herself using that. Wait... Sunlight? The wraith stopped all of a sudden and looked up, hissing-shrieking as the sunlight got into his hood but at least it was confirmed. This place has no roof! This was a familiar situation. "Climb!" He shouted, stubbornly looking up again. They can climb out! "Like at Moria..."

"If I could get out so easily don't you think I would have?" Hyano pointed out to him. "Gandalf is a White. I'm an orange. He not only outranks me but out-powers me. This place is sealed against my magic. As for the roof... You are free to try if you like but I would not suggest it." She said and moved to the wall of the cave, knowing full well that Ren would try despite her warnings and did not want to be in the way when the rocks and he both come down. She would use her magic to catch the wraith of course but that didn't mean much if she got hit by a boulder.

Just as she expected, the Nazgul didn't listen to her -as usual- and went up to the nearest wall, touching the rocks there to see if they are firmly stuck or not. He needed to change positions a few times but eventually thought he found the right path. He used his gauntlets and boots to get a firm hold and started climbing. Many times did his hands slip when the rocks under them gave out but he always managed to find a new one that actually held better. He climbed exactly until halfway when the rocks under his legs gave out, then attempted to find a new hold but even those just slipped from the loose wall. So, eventually, he ended up sliding down while he desperately tried to find a new hold. He cursed in Black Speech before trying again and again, stubbornly keeping up but he didn't manage to do as he desired. In the end, he just huffed, hissed at the wall and went up to the nearest corner, sat down facing it with his back to Hyano and crossed his arms and legs, murmuring to himself, pouting in his own way.

The wizard watched, making a point not to laugh, even though everything in her really wanted to. He was just too hilarious trying countless times to get out the same way. However, the fact of the matter was Ren wasn't going anywhere. Not anytime soon anyway. When he finally admitted defeat, like a child of course, the wizard could not help a light snicker. She had been good so far but he honestly had it coming with that stunt. She finally walked up and sat behind him with her back to his, putting her hands in her pockets again.

"Just relax, Ren. It is hardly that bad in comparison to what could have happened. If nothing else, we can make a bolt for it when they come to get us in two weeks." She pointed out, trying to calm him down. If only a little. She closed her eyes and sighed, letting the magic flow through her more freely now. The closer she was to Ren, the stronger this connection was, the more power they both received. If anything, then this should ease his frustration somewhat.

First, Ren didn't answer but stubbornly ignored what she said, hissing at the corner which was actually directed to her, still frustrated because of their situation. Make a bolt for it in two weeks? They could be out now if she did what he told her! How much energy does it take to blow away the rocks from the sealed exit? Not much, especially if he was nearby to help her with the flow of magic... But she either didn't hear what he said or simply ignored it... Which briefly made him question if she truly wanted to get out... Only briefly, of course. He still pressed himself to trust her. There was nobody else to trust, after all. One servant was still better than none. It gave him a better chance at getting out.

"In two weeks they will be waiting by the door, prepared to take us down if we try to fight. We have to get out soon when they don't expect it..." He told her, now turning his hooded head towards her, unknown to her, glaring. "You can gather energy and magic with all this light. Then blow away the rocks from the exit. And we are out."

"You don't seem to understand why I can't. If you haven't noticed those doors are too big for elves to put there. They are Gandalf's work. He has us sealed here, which means he also has magic-counters on the doors. Even if I manage to blow them out, Gandalf is right outside, ready to blow us right back in. As for the amount of energy I have currently... I passed out before they brought me here. I am not at full strength yet, even with the added light. I won't be for a good day." Hyano replied, being honest about the facts. Again, she wasn't lying. If Gandalf was smart that was in fact how things were going to go down. As for her energy, even with Ren there and the added magic of this world the fact was she was at almost nothing almost a second ago. She wasn't going to be at full strength for a little bit.

The wraith hissed at the reply, then picked up a nearby rock and threw it at the wall he was facing in frustration, which in return rewarded him with a nice amount of dirt that fell on impact from the loose wall. This only served to anger the Nazgul further, so stood up and started walking about again, trying to calm himself while also looking for a more shady spot to meditate at. He tried many different spots but none were dark enough for his complete relaxation, so had to settle for a less lit little gap where he sat down facing the wall and huddled closer to it, hunching his shoulders, trying to hide from the light of the torches with a deep hiss.

"Then start gathering magic. We will work to get out the next few days..." He said, set on escaping this hell hole where he was put while he was defenseless. He would be damned if he sat here all day for the next few weeks, waiting for his destruction. He will escape. One way or another he will get out of here...

Hyano sighed, then again moved so she was sitting behind him, in a way providing his back shade, knowing that would at least give him some amount of security.

"As you wish, Ren." She replied and closed her eyes, taking in the light and also continuing to work on their connection, although mildly now, trying to suppress the power of his ring. It would be a slow process. It would have to be in order to keep it from being too well noticed.

* * *

 **End of the chapter. Hope you liked it!**

 _CA Productions_


	5. Like the Apple from the Tree

**We are very sorry for the extra delay. We didn't think this will happen. We had suddenly a change in schedule in real life, hot weather which forced us out and a lot of work to go with it. But let us hope this ended and this will not happen again.**

* * *

 ***At Miniature Golf***

 **Ren: *Stands with the plastic golf club in his gauntleted hand.* What is the point of this again?**

 **Hyano: To get the ball in the hole. *Leaning against her own club while watching their creators take their turns.***

 **Ren: Why not just pick up the ball and drop it in the hole? *Sees an old lady passing by and notices her cane is bigger than his club so before she knows what hit her he took her cane... and kept both.***

 **Hyano: *Hears a crash and some yelling and looks over at the old lady but doesn't know anything of what Ren did.* Because that is not how you play the game.**

 **Ren: This is moronic... *Steps up when it is his turn. Looks at the ball... then the hole... then the ball again. Then he takes the cane in one hand and the club in the other and starts whacking at the ground wildly. When he finished the ball was in a hole alright... a royally big one that Ren had made himself... and somehow missed the ball in the process.***

 **Cubby: *wide eyed.* I'm not paying for that!**

 **Avp: *Face palms.* Why is it always Ren destroying everything?... Enjoy the show everyone!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 5 - Like the Apple from the Tree

It took some time but Lilly finally convinced her mother to let her go off to find her new cousin in the woods again. Only drawback was she had to bring Cane along but he didn't seem bothered by him walking behind her as they made their way into the forest.

The day seemed to favor them. There were no angry clouds that would promise rain, neither was there too harsh wind. Just enough to cool down the warmed up skin that was heated by the sun. The trees offered enough shade, of course, but the humidity and warmth that the sun's ray sent towards the people was enough to feel hot during the day. Many of the elves and animals found themselves near lakes and rivers in an attempt to escape it. It seemed like Lilly and Cane had other tings in mind, however.

Once they were deep enough into the forest, Lilly took a deep breath, opened her mouth and put her hands to either side of her face before shouting.

"Silentbranch! Silentbranch!" She called out, her voice echoing in the forest and bouncing from tree to tree as it traveled.

The calls came unanswered for a long time. The trees however were loud, some greeting the two, some speaking to them, some asking questions, not knowing that their questions and speech were not understood, so wondered why they are so silent. The calls were of course also transferred and given to another, which in the end reached the two tree herders that stood side by side in the same region they met before.

The larger one was the first to note the call, while the smaller much younger herder was still resting after a tough night of wandering and patrolling the forest. Not wanting to wake the sapling, Hazelbark simply gave a low but loud enough growl-like sound, calling the child to him in an attempt to silence her calls and let the small herder rest. Maybe she can stay around them still and rest herself.

Lilly didn't notice, however Cane did. He seemed to understand better than his sister, though, he didn't seem to know how to reply to any of the trees. So he simply took his sister and tugged her towards the direction they needed to go. Once they reached the area, he had to stop his sister from running up and waking the smaller tree herder. He made sure to cover her mouth so she didn't say anything, then spoke to her in a voice similar to his father's. It was low and strong. Much like the rumbling of a real tree herder.

"He is asleep... How about you lay down and nap beside him?" He suggested to her.

Lilly pouted at first, not liking being stopped but perked up at his suggestion. She loved to cuddle, so even if she didn't get to sleep she would still enjoy herself. She walked up slowly beside Silentbranch, then sat down and cuddled up to his leg like a little animal.

Cane smiled a little at this before the calls of the trees distracted him and he looked around and set his sights on one and again seemed to understand but seemed at a loss at how he was supposed to reply to them.

After noting the destination, the trees started to ask their questions to Hazelbark, seeing they never got an answer to what they asked and what they told the two smaller 'herders'. The much older tree herder however didn't know much about them, so only answered partially and what he could, informing the trees that they are learning to how to communicate just now, so they should not expect an answer too soon.

At this news the trees excitedly chatted among them, automatically speaking, slower even, this way attempting to teach the one child that stayed awake.

Hazelbark didn't mind of course but just stood still, standing guard above the three 'saplings'.

Cane stayed quiet for a moment before finally trying to reply.

"My name is Cane... I..." He quickly stopped, hesitating, thinking he had already failed. It was so frustrating. He wanted to talk to them too. He wanted to answer their questions and ask some of his own. Despite them being a quiet, the most of his kind actually had a very strong voice. Part of why they didn't say much was because of this. Their voices were so booming and strong, making it very off-putting to the humans so they learned to stay quiet. After listening a moment longer he tried again. "My name is Cane... I am from Middle-Earth." He said, allowing his voice to be heard this time but tried to keep it down, afraid he might wake the sapling if he wasn't careful.

While the sapling did not wake up luckily, Hazelbark moved his gaze to the young boy as he attempted to speak to the trees, watching him but not saying a word. This was something he needed to learn alone, just like every sapling. He wasn't taught either, as they are born with it. One simply has to find that hidden knowledge.

The trees of course heard what he said and greeted him right back, many around them speaking, saying the same or different, their speech echoing in the ears of the boy. For someone so young and inexperienced this might mean a problem in understanding the trees. Of course, most mentioned Middle-Earth, possible asking about that world.

Cane cringed as in his ears the voices combined and mingled, making it troubling telling one voice from another. So he tried to focus on one. He closed his eyes before picking up one question. What was Middle Earth? A simple enough question... yet the answer was so complicated. How does one explain a place that they couldn't possibly understand since they have never been there? He also didn't want to depress them with the sad facts about that world. "Middle-Earth is... a world you will hopefully never see..." He finally replied, not sure he could give any better answer to the question. He looked up at the large tree herder, quite sure he understood why he gave this answer. He likely heard the stories.

Many of the trees said the word Middle-Earth at the same time and the words after mingled together once more but one voice overpowered the others with its low tone and very slow speech. It was a very old tree not far away, towering over the smaller ones proudly. He was here even before the tree herders were transported to Outer-Earth. The one question he asked was short but it took at least a minute for him to voice it, mainly because of his age. The older a tree the lower the tone and the slower they speak.

' _Why do you say that?_ ' He asked, very slowly, his voice standing out from among the younger trees'.

Cane felt like he might get a headache from all this noise at this rate but he did what he could to stay calm, trying to make out the questions until finally the older tree's question made itself known. Again he had to think it over. What was a good answer?

"There is no magic there. The trees are all silent and man... Man does not care for them as they should. Not only would you lose your voice going there but man would surely kill you eventually." He replied finally.

The trees talked now even faster, unable to believe what was told them. _Silent? Not talking? Killed by man? Who are these men? No magic? How is that even possible?_ It was hard to imagine when one was born and lived all their life in a magical world.

Of course, the now louder chatting caused the sapling to stir, moving slightly his arms and opening his eyes swiftly, now aware of the talking and the subject. Out of habit he looked around, locating his big brother before relaxing, having received the calming sign from him. There was no danger, which is good. This was also when he noticed the children around him. At first he saw the boy, only a little while later did he notice Lilly at his feet, seemingly asleep. He made a note to not move until she awoke; proudly standing guard above her like his big brother does to all of them.

At this Cane had to cover his ears, ducking down and holding his head tightly. He couldn't take it. So many voices, so much at once. It was just too much.

"Shut up..." He whispered once, then started repeating it. "Shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!" He finally stood tall, yelling, his booming voice echoing through the land.

This woke Lilly, who sat up quickly, then noticed her stressed older brother and quickly ran up to him, hugging his arm.

"Cane? What's wrong?" She asked, tilting her head to the side and glancing up at him curiously. He normally wasn't yelling, he wasn't even talking but... She didn't understand what caused him to do all this...

Cane blinked, then looked down at her, cringing as he realized what he did and felt horrible instantly. "I..."

The trees of course felt offended but silenced their chatting, now whispering to each other about the boy and his rude behavior, about what he said and now none of them directed their questions and speech to him, instead started guessing.

Hazelbark heard and frowned at what the boy shouted but did not say anything. The sapling must be new to all this... Too many voices after the great silence. But his outburst was still rude towards the trees. As to make sure that there will be no trouble following this, he started speaking to the trees, calming them down.

Silentbranch also listened on in the whole thing but he did not say or do anything about this either. It was not his task just yet after all. Instead he couldn't help but smile when he saw Lilly was awake and moved slightly to loosen the wood within his body for movement... Much to Hazelbark's delight, which also meant that the sapling will move about again and needs him to follow.

Cane sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"I yelled at them..." He whispered.

Lilly blinked. "At whom?" She questioned him, a small frown appearing on her face as she tried to make out what he was trying to say.

"The trees... There was so much... My head was starting to hurt and I just... snapped." He explained himself, keeping his voice in a whisper.

Lilly thought on this, then hit him upside the head, earning a yelp from him.

"Silly Cane." She said, then stepped away with her hands on her hips. "Trees. My brother is very sorry for being such a meany-head. But you need to be nice too. He just got here and our trees don't talk back home so he isn't used to so many voices. If you don't want to hurt my big brother, then you have to talk to him slowly." She told the trees, acting like a big girl talking to her little siblings despite the fact she was probably one of the youngest creatures in the forest and in reality it just made her look cute.

Cane facepalmed at this. She could be so forward sometimes.

The trees did not reply her of course, as she wouldn't understand it anyway, but Silentbranch couldn't help a chuckle at her courage and protective attitude.

"That was quite brave of you. The trees normally don't like it when saplings tell them what to do, you might earn their respect much quicker than anything." He told her, stepping up to them now, doing all this under the watchful gaze of Hazelbark. "You act like you are the older sibling. It should be the other way around with him protecting you." He pointed out playfully, chuckling at the scenario.

Lilly giggled a little at her friend's comment.

"My brother does protect me. But even big brothers need protecting sometimes. Besides, Cane always means well but sometimes doesn't know how to voice his thoughts right. My dad is the same way." She replied honestly, relaxing her arms at her sides.

Cane blushed a bit but said nothing, feeling it was best he just stayed quiet. This was probably more than he had said in a whole week. His throat honestly felt a little sore from it.

"Strange..." The sapling said, now looking at the boy before directing his gaze back to Lilly. "If you speak in the language of trees it becomes easier. Your thoughts flow like the fastest spring." He chuckled, then decided to change the subject, having noted the silence of the boy. "So, want to play something? And this time I will be more careful." He added with a sheepish smile, well as much as a tree herder can give one, also making sure to glance up at Hazelbark, silently asking permission for a game, which he gave after a few moments of silence. He just hoped that his older brother will not step in or destroy their games with his protectiveness.

Lilly ginned and nodded.

"Yes! Let's play doctor!" She said and this earned a groan from Cane, already knowing where this was going. Lilly looked at him. "Cane will be someone who is dying or hurt and we have to try and make him better. I will be the doctor and you can be the nurse, since you don't know much about doctor stuff yet." She said, more than ready to teach him how to play the pretend game but knew since he didn't know how to play tag he probably wouldn't know how to play this either. She then looked towards her brother and he again groaned before looking around until he found a fallen log and went ahead and sat down to make this easier on his sister.

"Doctor?" The sapling asked, watching her with a confused stare, which he turned towards her brother soon who started moving away. "What is that? What do we do?" He asked again, not sure what to think of this 'game'. He was new to this and normally trees don't need to be made better, they don't need healing, so he didn't know what to think of this subject. How do you heal something? Don't they heal themselves? Also... why would they need to heal someone who is not sick?

"Don't worry. I will show you." The little girl said as she started, collecting different sticks and rocks that looked a little like knives but weren't really sharp. She then placed them beside her brother. "Alright, now I am going to pretend to operate on Cane. Whenever I ask you for a tool of some kind you hand me one of those." She said pointing to the things she just grabbed, then gave Cane a shove.

Cane rolled his eyes before closing them and started making a beep noise.

Lilly smiled at this before pulling her bandana down and putting it around her mouth like a doctor's mask.

"Alright, nurse! We have to make the patient all better. His heart is broken so we got to open him up and replace it." She said and held her hand out. "Dowabob." She said, not knowing the actual names for doctor's tools, so she just made up her own.

The sapling was rather confused when she explained what this game was about and just blinked, not exactly sure what to do with all this.

"Doctor? Cut him open? Are you sure about that?" He asked, stepping up next to her. Of course the same question formed in the head of Hazelbark, who watched them closely from his position but now that Silentbranch asked the question he didn't need to repeat it. "And... you can just replace bodyparts to make them feel better? Is that possible?"

"Well... um." Lilly stopped for a moment, trying to think of how to explain.

Cane decided it might be best if he was the one who replied, seeing his sister seemed not to fully know herself. She was still rather young to have all the answers.

"A Doctor is like a healer. Only no magic. They use tool to find the problem and fix it as best they can. Sometimes in order to do that you do have to cut someone open." He replied and tried to think of a tree equivalent. "Kind of like when a tree has an infected branch. You don't have to kill the whole tree. Just get rid of the infection. Sometimes you don't even have to get rid of the whole branch. However no matter what you do when you are doing that you are considered a doctor. It is a little different for us and other flesh creatures, though, because we have a lot of parts that are needed and if they get infected they have to be replaced. Not gotten rid of altogether." He explained, then cringed, putting a hand on his throat. He was going to have a sore throat by tomorrow if he wasn't careful. He was speaking too much but he didn't know why but... He felt he needed to speak.

"You are so strange..." The sapling commented, although quietly, not sure what to do with the explanation given to him. Trees and tree herders -with which he is and will be concerned with entirely- have no such problems and don't need such complex... treatments.

Even Hazelbark had trouble understanding it but being the grown tree herder he simply stayed silent about it, deciding to just watch them. He knew patience. Every question will be answered eventually. One just has to wait.

"And what is the sound you were making?" Silentbranch asked, of course not noticing how the throat of the boy reacted to talking. But then again, this could be taken as training, because if he will have his own tasks he will have to speak much.

Lilly and Cane looked at each other before they both pointed to their chests.

"In here there is a part called a heart. It is very important." Lilly said with a smile and Cane decided to clarify.

"It pumps blood... Um... Sap through our bodies. If it stops pumping we will die within seconds. The sound I was making represented a device used back home which would monitor the heart to make sure it was still pumping." He explained.

Lilly grinned.

"Here, listen." She said, then ran up to Silentbranch and climbed up to his shoulder and put her chest to where she assumed his ear would be. She did this so he could hear her heartbeat.

The sapling let the child climb on and held firm while she did, listening carefully when she showed him the sound. And there! Indeed! There was this same rhythmic beating that the boy was making.

"The trees have something like that, although not this fast... and they have no such part like a heart..." He added, smiling as he listened to the... very important part of that body. "If it is broken, you can replace it? Won't the body die if you take it out like that? And where do you get the other one?" He asked, not sure how to imagine such a true replacement. Surely, 'hearts' don't grown on trees.

"Other people." Lilly replied, choosing to stay on the sapling's shoulder for now.

Cane chuckled. "Back home when someone died they could choose to allow their parts to be given to those that really needed them. It is a little harder for us because we can only take parts from our kin. No other parts are compatible. Replacing the heart has to be done very fast too. There is a machine used to replace the heart but it only works for a few minutes. If you don't replace the heart fast enough... well..." Cane rubbed the back of his neck.

"That happened to uncle... He and daddy were shot at by bad people and uncle got shot in the heart... They didn't get him to a doctor in time..." Lilly said sadly. She remembered because they had been walking home after going to a movie. Lilly had been chattering as usual while the two men just listened and allowed it. She had been in her uncle's arms... If he hadn't covered her during the drive by... No child should have to see such things but in the world they came from it was all too normal.

"I never understood why people would kill each other for other than food... Here, animals only kill what they need to eat. Why do humans kill their own? Do they eat them? Or did they feel in danger?" He asked, wondering about this subject. Tree herders never kill needlessly, they never intend to actually. They just guard the trees and the forests, tend to them and simply chase away those who wish to harm them. Kills rarely happen and even if they do, it was for good reason or accident. Elves also seem to only take what they need. They don't kill the trees to build, they live with the trees and within them, only taking branches that are sick and needed to be removed, or from dead trees. There are a few cases where the elves do need the parts of living trees but they would always ask for permission before they touched the owner of the wood. So, this subject was foreign to the sapling.

"Well... Daddy says that he has had to kill people before but only because he had no other option. But some people... they kill because something in them wants to... They are bad or being forced to by someone bad. Or sometimes it is by mistake but they are still punished for it anyway. Killing is killing even if you didn't mean to." Lilly replied this time, having had the lecture from her father several times. Normally when he saw a man at their worst at work he would come home and tell his children this... In a way reassuring himself as well.

"They are so strange... We would never kill our kin... I don't know how that is possible..." Silentbranch told them, looking first at Lilly then at Cane with a confused stare. "How can someone be bad? Here, no one is bad. They kill what they need to eat... and never their own kin..." This was making the sapling a little sad. He could never imagine his brothers fighting and killing each other, hurting the trees or anyone who isn't a threat to the forest. Threats are few even and they are mostly misunderstandings and the work of the over-protective nature of the tree herders. "Accidental killing is also punished? Isn't that unfair?" He asked, now glancing at Lilly. "I mean... my brothers sometimes accidentally trample someone... They didn't mean to... So why should they be punished for something they didn't intend and was only an accident?"

Both Cane and Lilly shrugged at the first question. They didn't fully understand it either. They couldn't understand why bad people came to be. Why couldn't everyone just be good? But that would be too easy. So instead Cane skipped to the second question.

"Because you can't make up for a life. Even an accidental kill means you took something away permanently. You took a life and no matter what you do, those that the life was involved with will still be affected by it." He explained.

"But you will be affected too..." The sapling replied, shrugging. "You will be as sad and sorry that you took a life. You have to live on with the knowledge that you took a life you didn't intend. So why add more punishment to it? I don't understand how sheer bad luck should be punished by anything else than the mind." The sapling clearly didn't understand the punishment of an innocent person. Maybe they killed someone... but they didn't intend to. It was all bad luck. And luck cannot be influenced... The punishment in this case is invalid in his mind.

"But not everyone is sorry. At least... not back home they weren't." Cane replied not knowing how people were here really. Everyone seemed to be nice but they all knew better than to take people at face value. No one had been stressed out in any way. That is how one learns what people are really like. "Back home there was a kid who brought his dad's knife with him to school because he wanted to scare the bullies away. When the bullies came he pulled out the knife. By mistake he actually stabbed one. He was punished for it because even though he hadn't meant to actually hurt anyone he ended up not only hurting someone but actually killing them. They had to make sure he wouldn't do the same thing again."

"But if the bullies were not there... If people wouldn't have hurt him... If people would have protected him... he wouldn't have brought the knife. If people have helped him, he wouldn't have done it... Those bullies deserved it, I say. He was just trying to protect himself. If no one else protects you... then you have do it or they will kill you..." The sapling explained, shuddering visibly at the thought of being left alone just now... When he was defenseless. If he was hurt in any way by anyone, he would do everything to stay alive and protect himself. Now, why can't the child protect himself the same way? In the forest it is the same way. If he was harassed by a warthog, who would chew on his branches, he would have all the right to defend himself and stop the animal from chewing on him in any way he can. It would be the warthog's fault for not heeding the warning and the request of the tree herder. "Should he have let them continue?" He asked, tilting his head as much as it was possible. Clearly, those bullies were not kept at bay by anyone anyway. "He was punished unrightfully. It was self-defense. Even we kill in self-defense if needed. If that is the only way..."

Lilly nearly fell off as the sapling shuddered but she quickly found her spot back on his shoulder.

"You should defend yourself." She quickly said.

"But that is the word. Defend. Not kill. Our people learned a long time ago that killing was only used for extreme cases. That child should have tried to get help but instead he tried to take on the problem himself and ended up doing more damage than anything. Humans... they have a tendency to hold grudges. If he hadn't of been punished... The kin of that bully he killed would have made sure he was. In a way the punishment is to satisfy the kin of the one killed, so they don't end up killing the person who only did it by mistake." Cane explained further. He knew it didn't make full sense to the sapling but in their world it really was the only way.

"How do you know he never tried to call for help?" The sapling asked the question that actually cannot be answered in any way. Only the child knows if he did or not. Many might deny it, many might say he did but no way to tell. So, instead he turned his gaze towards Lilly and gave her a smile. "So... do you want to continue or do we plan another game?" He asked, trying to brighten the mood and have fun after this rather serious conversation. He usually had them with his brothers but now he wanted to get rid of that serious world and enjoy his free times as much as he can. Because in a few years he will have to fend for himself. That is when the fun ends...

Cane was more than ready to let the subject drop. Mostly because he knew the answer and would rather not explain how...

Lilly smiled as he suggested they continue playing and thought for a moment, deciding to pick a different game.

"Alright. Let's try a different pretend game." She said as she climbed down onto the ground. She smirked at her brother and he already had a feeling he knew where this was going. "Wolves and sheep!" She yelled.

Cane groaned. "Fine but we stay near here and I swear if you bite me I'm tossing you." He warned before looking to Silentbranch. "I'm a sheep. You two are wolves. You are trying to catch me." He explained, putting it as simply as possible.

"Catch you?" The sapling asked, blinking at the suggestion and quickly thought over the situation... and the difference between their race. They were the same but still... "You are way too fast for me..." He complained, sighing sadly, his shoulders slumping. Seems like chase games would have to be dropped. While he was still a young herder, a sapling at that, he was still already slower than any of them. His body build also didn't enable fast running. He can just maybe a little bit jog but otherwise he will have to resort to walking, stepping fast or just staying where he is and hope that he will come along...

"I'm faster than her too." Cane pointed towards Lilly with his thumb.

Lilly then smirked up at Silentbranch. "Cane is faster than anyone else in our family. He was on the track team back home. But we are wolves. We hunt together. So we don't have to be fast. We just have to be smart." She said, then looked at Cane.

Cane smiled a bit, enjoying he compliment on his speed before stepping back. "Give me ten." He said, then took off running.

"Alright, so you aren't fast. Then I will be a chaser. I will come up from behind and chase Cane towards you and you catch him. You have long arms you blend in really well so you should be able to get him by surprise and catch him if he tries to make a quick turn." She said, quite good at making plans for this game.

The sapling nodded quickly, watching as the boy disappeared from their view, then looked around for a nice spot to hide.

"There!" He shouted, pointing at a patch where some smaller trees were standing firmly together. "Perfect hiding spot, don't you think?" He asked, looking back at her with a smile before stepping towards the young trees and standing among them. He had still enough room to move his arms and step out of his hiding of course. "If I stand still, he won't even notice. You can chase him towards me here."

The little girl grinned and nodded.

"Stay right there. I won't be long." She said, then took off running.

Like she said it wasn't long until one heard the sounds of running coming Silentbranch's way. And as promised, Cane was very fast, moving like an arrow. He didn't have the best balance, so tripped once but instead of staying down he rolled and was back on his feet and running again.

Lilly was right behind him and whenever her brother would try to make a turn she would jump, keeping him cut off so he stayed in the direction she wanted him to go. It was easier when one had more people to help and Cane was likely going easy since this was a new area and this was Silentbranch's first round playing but it was still fun all the same.

The sapling stayed as still and as silent as he could, sometimes giving his big brother, Hazelbark a scolding glare, seeing he was watching him closely. He didn't want him to give him away! The older herder just sighed and eventually looked away, finding sudden interest in a tree that simply stood silently, more than likely resting. The sapling stayed low and waited patiently for the two to come back. Patience was a great and useful trait of the tree herders. They can stay in one place for weeks at a time if needed. Of course, being a small sapling, Silentbranch still lacked most of that never ending patience but he was developing it just right. He watched as the two came into his field of vision and stayed completely still until the right moment when the boy wanted to dodge the tree group. As fast as he could, the young herder lashed out and made a grab towards Cane.

Cane didn't see him coming and before he knew what happened he was caught. The boy yelped and would have struggled had he not known what had him. Instead he just smiled and put his hands up in defeat.

Lilly squealed, jumping up and down like a little bunny.

"We did it! We did it!" She cried out like they had just done the best thing in the world. She hadn't expected it to work so well but then again... Cane had never had to dodge something like the sapling before.

Cane eventually pushed out of the larger herder's grip and landed on his feet. He was ready to go again.

* * *

Unknown to them, they were not quite alone. In the shadows many creatures lurked that were attracted by the strange, unusual noise they made in the forest. The tiny squirrel-like mammals chirped to one another curiously as they observed the playing children, while small goat-like animals tilted their head among the bushes, unsure about the creatures. However, these beings squealed and dashed away when a much larger shadow loomed over them. Brown eyes watched the ents with suspicion and a puff of air left the creature's nostrils. Large ears perked up at every louder sound they made, at every high-pitched noise they emitted.

It has been observing them in the past hour ever since they stepped foot into these parts of the forest and stalked them. It found their way of playing disturbing and yet so familiar. Their laughter was not unknown to its ears as the elflings would do the same when amused.

Still...

Their skin... Their smell... Their sheer presence...

These were clearly not elves.

And so they were intruders to its territory.

* * *

"You aren't going to get me that way twice." Cane said with a smirk.

The sapling smiled in triumph as well, then let the boy go when he saw him prepare for it. What he said was true... He surely will remember this trick and will avoid trees that are this small... This means that they will have to think of a new tactic... But what? He was a tree herder. He will never need to chase anything with speed, let alone think of tactics like these. When he grows up, he will be huge. His size enough enables him to close distance faster than beings shorter than him due to the wide steps. And hiding will be always an option. So, standing at the ready, the small herder awaited the next turn...

Lilly grinned. "We will get you. I'm sure." She said and waited for her brother to take off before looking to Silentbranch. She thought for a moment, looking around before getting an idea. "Hide behind a really big tree. Big brother will be looking for you out in the open but he won't be looking for you to really hide." She pointed out with a smile, jumping up and down. She was rather good at planning, though, she hardly thought of this as a real skill. Everyone could come up with plans like these, right? They just had to look around.

Silentbranch blinked at the idea but nodded nonetheless, not sure if this is going to work or not. But it was worth a try, right? So, nodding at Lilly, he briefly looked around, surveying the trees before finding a large enough one. He quickly -as for a tree herder it was possible- he hid behind it, pressing his body against it firmly so he practically looked like a part of the larger tree.

"This good?" He asked, looking at the little girl, before averting his gaze to give his once more peeking big brother a scolding glare, causing him to sigh a second time and look away.

Lilly grinned and nodded before taking off running. It was a little harder to get behind her brother this time because he was looking for her but eventually she got it and they came running. Like she planned he was looking for the tree herder expecting to see him hiding among the tree. However instead of seeing the herder his eyes saw something else. He didn't know what it was and he might have ignored it if...

If it didn't look like it was hunting them!

The boy dead stopped not far from Silentbanch and in one motion he caught his sister and tossed her to the ground before being tackled by... by he had no idea what!

He had never seen it before! They didn't have any in Middle-Earth.

It was like a wolf but slightly smaller and longer with shining scales that reflected the rays of the sun, yellow reptile eyes and a tail similar to a snake. It had green and brown scales which got lighter towards its belly. The creature bit into his arm with its thin razor sharp teeth but instead of crying out the boy grabbed its head and held it there trying to keep it from getting away and possibly going after his sister, who had been the original target he was sure. Lilly was just the right size for a creature this big and though the trees saw them as tree herders the animals also saw them as animals. They were considered half and half, really.

Silentbranch stayed unmoving as they neared, preparing himself for the catch, noting that the boy is coming his way, if the sounds and the force of the footsteps are something to go by. He was rather confused when the boy stopped and turned his head slightly when he heard some kind of noise. It was too late though. He gasped when something rushed for the two children, pushing himself away from the tree, without thinking stepping towards the scene with fright, trying to help as according to his herder instincts but was held back by his big brother, who pushed him back from the attack with a foot, gently, to not break anything.

Hazelbark always thought of his little brother first before anything, so made sure he doesn't get hurt in any way. Only after did he weight the situation. He needed to because of the fragile nature and ecosystem that was still struggling to stabilize. The creature was clearly hungry, so killing it and hindering it in feeding would be inappropriate and unnatural. Every other tree herder would think the same way. However, there was something else... The two young 'saplings' were also part of his family, they were in a way tree herders themselves. And their kind always stands up for one another, protecting each other at all circumstances. On the other hand... They weren't quite part of their group and could not be considered as such until they took the mantle as tree herders themselves. They will need to prove themselves in the eyes of the Valar and the creatures that they can fend for themselves and will be the ones protecting them and not the other way around. So, the large tree herder hesitated, although was ready to intervene.

They needed to do this alone...

The wolf-like snake creature bit down harder and harder onto the arm, its curved and long teeth cutting into the skin, to draw blood. But soon it seemed it wanted to pull away and shook its head, pulling back with its backlegs, digging its claws into the ground while the frontlegs held the arm of the boy.

Despite the large teeth and the head, its bite didn't seem to be strong. Its jaws were weaker than they appeared. This could be a warning sign. It clearly did not kill with the strength of its bite.

The other animals understood the threat well.

Cane let out a gasp when all of a sudden the creature was ripped off of him but didn't say anything, instead clutched his now bleeding arm, searching the forest for the reason of the change in his situation.

The snake-like being howled as it was pushed backwards by bone-like appendages, unable to use its claws to rip through it, so was helplessly put out to the mercy of its owner. The item turned out to be large antlers which were connected to a thick skull, covered by light brown, almost gray fur. The pelt thickly coated a strong neck, a large belly and thin yet sturdy legs, which ended in hooves. Its yellow eyes met the brown gaze of the animal, which flared its nostrils, pushed its ears back and released a puff of air before pushing the creature back against a tree with full force.

The impact was not without its effects.

The skull of the carnivore crashed against the bark of the tree, its jaws clashing together, causing a few long teeth to fall out. It tumbled to the ground almost lifelessly, unable to move at first.

The brown-furred mammal however was not about to tolerate a flesh-eating animal on its territory, so reared up onto its backlegs and drummed the hooves on both of its frontlegs onto the ground right in front of the creature's head a couple of times, which woke it up from its daze and sent it running with a whine.

The large-antlered animal watched the creature flee, standing proud in front of the tree and huffed, daring it to return. It swung its already damaged antler a bit, then finally turned its head to look at the ent people it just saved.

This was not its intentions but they were less of a threat and they were no challenge to its power in this forest. They did not seem to be hunters and smelled a lot like ents did. Thus, why should he let them be eaten by this predator? If anything, they proved useful to it, since they distracted the carnivore for a well-aimed attack.

* * *

Lilly had been forced to keep away from the scene while her brother struggled and the strange elk-like animal rammed the beast but as soon as the fight was taken farther away she ran to him.

"Cane! Are you alright?!" She asked in a worried almost crying voice, looking at his bleeding arm. It had deep wounds but the arm itself seemed intact. The sharp curved teeth of the canine pierced his skin like needles and ripped it open when it was pushed away.

Cane gritted his teeth as he tried to cope with the pain and held his arm in a tight clutch, trying to stop the bleeding as best as he could. He heard the voice of his little sister, although it became fainter as the seconds went by.

"Y-yes... I'm fine... I'm..." He said, then started to sway, making Lilly's eyes widen. He could hear her scream his name in desperation as his vision started to turn black and the world tilted downwards. He could still feel the cold dirt tough his skin before his eyes closed.

In the mean time the elk watched them, still suspicious about their presence. They were no animals, neither were they elks, so they were intruders, although they didn't seem to be as dangerous as the carnivore that attacked them. It did not tolerate flesh-eating animals on its territory and attacked them ruthlessly to make sure they did not get used to stalking on its land. Its next victim would have been the herd nearby... or the elk itself.

Its hooves drummed on the forest ground as its steps took it closer to the site, tilting its head slightly as its brown eyes caught sight of the wound that the beast made. It knew the wound. It looked almost harmless, save for the blood but the creature held a deadly secret that the elves know of. They however seemed to be clueless.

Dead beings on its territory would attract even more predators.

When the elk came closer, this was when Lilly finally noticed it and turned its teary dark brown eyes onto the creature's own gaze. She knew she should thank it for the help but her brother... He was lying there motionlessly. She felt so helpless and the tree herders didn't seem to be able to help. She averted her eyes and shook the arm of her brother again, desperately trying to wake him up so they can go back to the city and have his wounds looked at but...

She wasn't strong enough to carry him.

Hazelbark watched as the little being attempted to awaken her brother and seemed to think. Its aged gaze went from the children to the direction the predator vanished into, then to the elk which still stared at the duo cautiously and yet clearly ready to hop at them if they made a sudden move. He was aware of the issue that Lilly was facing and decided something wanted them saved, having sent the elven elk to their rescue. These animals usually don't travel such distances from their herd. Nothing happens without a reason, they always say. The Valar are the ones leading their life and the Ents rely on their magic and eternal presence on Arda to exist. They have their hands in everything. Be it the movements of the clouds, the luck and the blooming flowers. In the next moment he moved. First, the large creature just swayed, collecting the swing for a step towards the worried little girl. The old ent of course did not wish to leave his little brother in the open, so let out a deep growl, then watched as the sapling backed away from the deeper forest. He didn't want the sapling to run off after the creature. It is not safe for him, his instincts told him.

He did what he could to help. The rest was up to them and the elves.

Lilly wasn't paying any attention to the brief debate and only lifted her gaze when the shadow of the tree herder loomed over her sobbing form.

He stared at her long and hard, as if still in debate with himself about what he should do, battling his thoughts but eventually he shifted his gaze and lowered one of his large hands onto the ground.

The little girl wasn't quite sure about the gesture but something clicked in her soon enough. Slowly, a bright smile formed on her lips and with newfound strength she did all she could to haul her unconscious brother onto the palm of the creature.

Soon enough, the loud footsteps of the tree herder drummed through the forest. The gaze of the little girl and the proud elk meeting one last time before they vanished among the trees.

* * *

In the mean time the elves gasped and the guards grabbed for their bows as they felt the ground shake under their feet. The branches of the trees nearby moved in answer of the vibrations, birds sounded a shrill cry as they spotted something in the distance. It took them a while but the sharp eyed elves managed to find the source of the disturbance in the form of a tree herder, which was carrying something on one of its hand. What was an ent doing so close to the city? Many of them prepared for an angry creature, which came to them with vengeance for some kind of misunderstanding but their momentary shock died down when they saw just what it was bringing them. Once it stopped and with a grown it lowered its hand, the elves did not wasting time, but took the unconscious boy, quickly taking him to their healers, and let the creature leave unharmed and undisturbed. What caused his change of mind to help someone who was outside his duty they didn't know. But that didn't matter now.

Lilly jumped off as her brother was taken and quickly followed.

"What is wrong with him?" She asked the first elf she could get a hold of. Her brother had been bit before. There were violent dogs all over where they lived but nothing like this had ever happened. "Will he be alright?" She asked, starting to tear up worried she might lose her brother in an instant.

The elf she asked turned his head towards her as he watched the boy being taken. He was a hunter, not a healer of course, so did not feel like he could help with anything other than standing aside as they rushed past him. He quickly gave her a reassuring smile before crouching down to be of eye-level and put a hand gently on her hear, patting it softly.

"He will be alright, don't worry. He was bitten by a venomous beast. It is its poison that is affecting him but he got here just in time, so should be fine in a day or two." He tried reassuring her and gathered the knowledge he had about these creatures. "How about I bring you back to your family and we tell them?" He asked, wanting to distract the little girl a little with a journey and get her into a more comfortable company, which is her family.

Lilly looked down then nodded with a faint sob.

"A-alright... Can you... can you make sure they don't give him food? He can drink but... but our people are fasting right now. If he eats... he will be sad for breaking the fast early..." She said, not wanting her brother to wake up just to find he had been forced to break his fast because the elves didn't know any better. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world of course but culturally it will feel like it.

After a sigh, the elf stood up and halted the next elf that came along, telling them what the child just said. They were confused but eventually agreed to give this information to the healers as well. Though, it might have to be ignored... One can't get strong without eating... And he lost blood, which can only right replenish if food is given.

"Alright... Let's look for your parents now..." He told her and slowly reached out to take her in his arms. He can't expect that she walks about after such a fright and shock. He will carry her to her parents.

Lilly watched this closely before looking up at him. She seemed to hesitate. Mostly because she didn't know the elf and back home just being picked up by a stranger was a death sentence to someone of her age. However she allowed him to pick her up. She wasn't as strongly built as her siblings yet but that did not mean she was light. Compared to elves her size she weighed a deal more than they did. While her mother and father could easily handle this weight asking the same of an elf might be setting a high standard.

The elf did grunt but eventually adjusted his grip on the surprisingly rather heavy child, then walked out of the crowd to make it easy on her. He wasn't sure how well she might take the crowd of people who she doesn't know. Only later did he ask about her parents' whereabouts and soon set out to find them, going in the direction that was given to him by the child, holding her as gently as he could while he walked along the streets.

The parents were on their way back towards the shack when they were caught by the elf. The father's eyes hardened and he reached into his coat to grab something but stopped short when he noticed his daughter didn't seem worried. The mother noticed this but didn't comment and smiled as she walked up to the hunter.

"Thank you. But where is Cane?" She asked, wanting to know where her son was. Lilly looked up at her and quickly told her what happened. The mother's eyes widened before looking to the elf. Lilly had said Cane would be fine but she could not help but worry. It was in her nature. While she had been told to trust the elves... it was hard after leaving the world where no one could really be trusted.

"Take Lilly to the shack... I will stay with Cane." The father said stepping up to the elf.

The elf gladly let the little girl go from his grip but eyed the father rather suspiciously. He wondered just what this man has under his coat... But ignoring this for the moment, he nodded eventually and started leading the father back towards the city, where he stopped at the healers. However, the elves refused to let him in if he tried. The healing process is still in progress. It should not be interrupted in any way.

The father gripped his fists before leaning back against the building and crossing his arms. He may not be allowed to go inside but he refused to leave. He didn't say anything to anyone and every time someone tried to speak to him, if it wasn't about his son, he would simply wave them off not interested. He was not very social by nature and he had tried to be kind earlier but in this case he had other things on his mind besides trying to please a bunch of elves he didn't know.

* * *

 _-few hours later-_

After a few hours no one still spoke to the father who stood outside the building. Elves went in and came out but they all had their own business there, so did not tell him anything about his son as they had no information. Only later did one elf come out who actually looked around before spotting the strange person waiting patiently and walked up to him slowly, stopping only a few feet away.

"You may see your son now. He will be alright in a day or two, thanks to the fast treatment. Right now, the boy is very tired and will sleep for the rest of the day..." He trailed off and turned around, showing the father into the building and to the room where his son lay on a bed made of pelt and leaves. "We... would like to keep him in for tonight. Just to be sure." The healer added, although carefully, not knowing how the man will react to it.

The father seemed to have started meditating but the moment the elf spoke to him he opened one eye showing he was listening. As the situation was explained to him he thought on it a moment before pushing off the building and heading towards the door.

"I will stay here, then." He stated, not giving any room to protest as he walked inside to see his son. Even if they did protest he wouldn't listen. The stubborn nature of tree herders did pass on to their kind and in turn to him.

Being far more different than the humans, the elves were far more understanding of emotions and of the need to stay with a loved one, be it family or friends. This is why they didn't even comment on his request, thinking it as natural. There was still one healer in the room at his bed, checking on his forehead if he had any fever, then smiled and nodded, pleased that the boy had none, which was good and gently stroked his hair lovingly before letting him go.

"Quite strong boy you are." The elf praised him, nodding at the father in greeting, then returned his gaze to Cane. "No fever, the bleeding stopped, no swelling, just a little inflammation. This is good. Very good."

The father looked at his son, then relaxed visibly seeing he was indeed alright. He took up a seat and reached out, touching his son's arm.

"Thank you..." He finally said softly, allowing his eyes to go to the healer. He wasn't sure what else to say. He was just pleased to see that his son was taken care of even if it didn't show visibly on his features like it would on a normal human or elf. His family meant the world to him. That's why he would do anything to keep them safe.

"We do what we can." The healer replied with a smile and nodding in return of the words of gratitude, soon deciding to leave the two alone. They surely wanted to speak before the boy falls asleep. And considering the situation and the looks of Cane, it will happen soon.

The father nodded as the other left before looking to the half dazed child. He was looking well considering... but rather sad. The father raised a brow at this before noting that there was an empty plate nearby. So they fed the boy. The father sighed then patted his head softly.

"You did well... Get some sleep." He assured the boy and despite it only being a few words this seemed to be enough as Cane closed his eyes. The father leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and crossing his arms. He then started to hum softly. It was the music to an old lullaby. It was meant to be calming like the sounds of the forest.

The boy relaxed at the familiar humming, a content sight escaping his nose. It did not take long from there on to let sleep claim him for the night. His exhausted body easily slumped and helped him to travel to faraway lands. His dreams held a new adventure for him and wherever he looked into the distance, he could see the strict brown gaze of the elk watching over him.

* * *

 **-pants- Alright. This took longer than expected. But we hope that you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **So, see you guys in two weeks!**

 _CA Productions_


	6. The Rat in the Cage

**Hyano: *Watching the oven closely.***

 **Avp: *Decorating the house.***

 **Ren : *Pulling down decorations and hiding them in his cloak as Avp puts them up.***

 **Avp: *Turns to look at his handiwork just to see the room looks just like when he started.* What the void?!**

 **Ren: *Stands there like he did nothing wrong.***

 **Cubby: Hey guys! *walks in and looks around.* Wow, Avp. You cleaned up. Nice job! *goes to her room.***

 **Avp: *Lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding then gasps as Ren's cloak explodes from all the decorations.* ... You are so lucky that worked out in our favor.**

 **Hyano: ... *looks at the readers.* What? If you want to know what we are up to you will have to read the next issue. Now go on and get reading already!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 6 - The Rat in the Cage

It had been a while... A long time now...

Days have passed ever since Hyano told him to wait, when she explained she does not have the required strength to free them. This did not make the situation better for the trapped wraith. He spent most of the past days pacing around in the darkest corners of the cave that he could find. His steps already left a noticeable path that he carved with the constant monotonous movement.

He did not top for anything, not even as Hyano went on her daily business to drink from the water in the cave or when she ate from the mushrooms. Not even when she stood to stretch or when some noises came from above. That did not interest him. There was only one thing for which he would actually stop. If she told him she had an idea. He already tried formulating some but it was not easy with him knowing so little about this world. His mate does not tell him anything... because she apparently does not know either.

Ren sighed as he paced along the slightly darker but not dark enough wall of the cave back and forth, his hands folded behind his back. He was impatient of course as usual and was desperately trying to think of an idea. His mate was being worried that the White was waiting for them... But he does have to sleep, right? Humans usually sleep at night... right? That would be the perfect time to escape, when he was the most tired and weakest.

The wraith stopped in his tracks and tilted his head to the side at this thought but only a moment later he shook his head and resumed pacing. He wanted to get out... Now...

His mind was already running a mile a minute and what bothered it was the silence...

The oh so familiar silence...

* * *

 _-Flashback-_

 _He had been calling but he had no idea anymore how long it had been... His previous calls managed to echo back to him in the light dust storm that blocked his weakening vision. The once great tower of Barad-dûr lay crumbled at his feet, his chains having been fastened at the still standing foot of it. The cold and poisonous lands were now nothing more but a desert. Lifeless as it always was... but oh so silent._

 _While it was not uncommon for a wraith to sit in silence, waiting for months at a time until his Lord called for him... this was something different. Now, he knew there will be no new commands as he knew his orders. For many cycles only the rattling of the chains provided some kind of diversity among the return of his own calls. But even they were faint. The chains over-cried everything he uttered._

 _He could hear a sound, and the weak wraith quickly snapped its attention towards it but his senses could only pick up his own cries, which came back after they bounced off of the tall mountains that surrounded his prison._

 _Once he was ruler under the command of his Lord at this very place... Now chains hold him back from escaping from it._

 _There was nothing._

 _There was only silence, which slowly drained him more than his capture._

 _No answer. No movement. Just the smells of a war long past and lost. No call back. It was just the rattling._

 _It was just him, the ruins of Mordor, his chains and the echoes of his lonely shrill cries._

 _He tried everything he could and still struggled as much as he was able. But as it seemed, to get out of here... he will need to rely on his servant._

 _Although, there were no answers to his calls for many cycles... that did not stop him from trying._

" _ **Hyano!**_ _"_

 _-End Flashback-_

* * *

Heaving a loud and angry hiss, the wraith soon found his little 'shady' spot again and sat down, facing the wall, pulling his shoulders up and his head down to shield himself from the light of the torches, not saying anything to Hyano the whole time. She surely was thinking too. She must be. They can only get out one way. Slowly, he shifted his hooded head towards her all too silent form.

Hyano seemed to be meditating, having not moved in hours. She was thinking hard but not on the same things as him. She didn't need to escape. If she really wanted she could leave whenever she liked she was sure.

However she wouldn't.

Not without Ren anyway.

If she was to leave without him by her side... that would likely be the end of him. The thought of it being the end of her didn't even cross her mind, really. Despite him likely seeing this as her betraying him, she was really doing whatever she could to try and save his life. As the wizard continued to concentrate on their connection she noticed his movement back to his spot and finally opened an eye. She smiled a bit, getting an idea and reached around and into his cloak, causing him to hiss in irritation, fishing around among the many items he kept in there until she found what she was looking for.

The wraith felt her mess around in his cloak before reaching inside to the many hidden pockets it had. By this time of course she found out what and where he hid in his cloak, having so far already discovered her stolen flute from five thousand years ago... There were always new pockets to discover. He was full of them and tended to change the items in his pockets when he sorts though them. The dark creature relaxed as she worked, knowing she always hands him back what she takes from him. And if she doesn't... Well... he will just take it back one way or another. Also, she is his mate, so has the right to use his items.

Hyano pulled out the bouncy ball. One thing she loved about Ren was that he had an extremely short attention span. So without saying a word, she gave the ball a toss, knowing that even with the annoying torches it had darkened enough that he should be able to see it. Through the years she spent on his side, she was able to get to know him. Oh, if Gandalf knew how amusing a wraith was. If not under the control of Sauron, they behave much like animals, as it seemed. Anything that made sudden moves or was unnaturally colored attracted thir attention and if something 'ran' from them, then they had the strong instinct to give chase. No matter the circumstances. This made them entertaining but also dangerous. She knew she will have to keep him company if they ever get out alive from this place, otherwise he might pose a threat to the elflings who would play tag or run around, only to be hunted down by the Nazgul. But for now... she did not need to worry about that. All she had to do was to sit back and relax, watching the show.

The wraith didn't pay much attention to what she took from him, only then did he look up when he heard that familiar sound of something bouncing rather fast. He turned his head and only a moment later he was gone from his spot, bolting towards the ball. However, thanks to the uneven ground, it didn't bounce as steadily and as predictably as at the tower. It changed directions all too many times, confusing the Nazgul while he chased it.

Eventually, Ren threw himself at the floor, catching the little fast toy before it slid from his grip and started bouncing away again. He resumed chasing, ignoring everything around him.

Hyano watched and laughed a bit as he chased the object. It was good to see him doing something other than worrying himself silly about getting out. This might only last for about ten minutes at most but it was nice none the less. As he 'played', if one wanted to call it that, she continued to work on their connection, although doing it more in the back of her mind now, so she could enjoy the show. However as she continued she felt something 'click'. She had successfully suppressed something. Like a gate being shut. She knew it was darkness but she wasn't sure exactly what it had been. The darkness already in Ren or the darkness of the ring.

She hoped it was the latter.

Ren didn't seem to notice anything different about himself or his powers, seeing he was engulfed with his bouncy ball or simply there was no effect just yet from this little progress. Instead, he managed to catch the ball in both hands and quickly stood from the ground he threw himself at again and held the item before letting it go again, resuming the chase.

While it had no effect on him just yet, the break of the first defenses had an effect on the wizard. The ring of course wasn't having any of this and tried to confuse her, throw her from her concentration by whispering in her mind, seeing she could hear it now, having torn the defense down. The loud speech persisted, getting louder while the aura of the darkness started to darken her vision too, trying to close her out of this connection, working to undo the change she made, like before.

Hyano felt like a mad dwarf with a hammer had been thrown in her head. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes but refused to let go of the progress she had made. She never felt something like this before, although she almost got used to whispers in her head. This was something else... This was... stronger. Closer.

 _'I will not lose... Not to you... Not again._ ' She thought, thinking about her defeat against the power of the ring so many years ago when she lost her friend once. She will not lose him again. Gripping her fists, she kept herself silent in order to not draw attention from the wraith. This was just the first step and it was already this hard... But if Ren had taught her anything in his training, it was how to take pain blow for blow and keep going anyway.

The darkness seemed to accept her challenge and pushed against her powers, keeping its position and grip fully, for a moment completely blackening her vision, while it pressed against her mind, causing headache and a sudden pressure in her ear, starting to overcome her senses.

Still, Ren didn't notice a thing about this, just murmured to himself angrily as he started digging for the ball which somehow managed to get stuck between the ground and a crack in the wall. After a few minutes he managed to get it out with a hiss in triumph. This was when he suddenly felt some kind of... strange feeling come over him... as if... he was angry and frustrated without any reason... while also he felt strangely exhausted... and the source... was... his mate. At least this is what he was able to find out by glancing at her, stopping what he was doing, just in time when the darkness all of a sudden vanished from her mind, now this way signaling to her that she successfully torn down the very last defense of the strange connection they shared.

But to what price?

Hyano won... but the battle took so much out of her. She groaned, opening her eyes and being met by haze. The effect of the magical battle seemed to have taken her sight for the moment. It would likely be alright later but... for now she was as good as blind. She gritted her teeth, her head still hurting but it was more manageable. But this did not stop her from starting to sway from side to side.

She was so tired now.

There was nothing else Ren could distinguish. There was this unusual feeling which now seemed to subside, instead tilted his head to the side when she started swaying on her feet, unsure what to think of all this. She was... tired... weak all of a sudden, as if she did something exhausting as far as he could tell through their connection... But he couldn't tell what. Only that he received less magic from her, which only strengthened his unexplained exhaustion.

"What is happening?" He asked, more out of curiosity, wishing to know if there was some kind of significant change in their situation he wanted to know about and stepped closer to her, trying to meet her gaze with his invisible one but she wasn't looking at him... Did she have a mental or magical battle with the White? Did she win? Or did she lose? That would be highly disappointing from a second in command.

The orange istar wanted to reply. Tell him she was fine. But before she could, her mind went blank. She fell to the ground as if in a mere second she had just died. Sadly, this was not an effect she could control. It had been a while since this had happened to her, having been able to control it back in Middle-Earth. However the sudden lack of energy caused by her struggle had been enough to do it, forcing her into a coma-like state due to lack of strength. She would have to remember this later. Ugh... she was going to have a good bruise when she woke up.

Ren watched silently as she fell down, following this movement with his gaze and head, staying in one position, staring at her, as if debating if he should do something or not. Seeing this happened before in the past, he was not surprised by this, neither did he feel the need to hurry with his decision. Eventually, the wraith turned his body towards her and stepped closer, crouching down beside her, still confused about all this. After all, he had no idea what she did and felt no different than he usually did, save for that sudden strange feeling a few moments ago. That went away, though. Ren reached over and poked her head with a gauntleted finger, trying to see if she truly fell unconscious. Getting no response, the Nazgul sat down beside her cross-legged, simply waiting for her to wake up. It surely won't take long...

Right?

* * *

' _The tides are turning. The land that was once rich with spoils is now plagued with a dark disease._ '

Hyano sighed, her eyes seeing only darkness before her.

' _Let it spread. It slithers into their midst like a sly snake, coiling up for a strike in the very moment they don't expect. Until then... It shall lay dormant, away from prying eyes._ '

* * *

Hyano awoke with a start, panting heavily, almost managed to headbutt the wraith which was sitting right beside her with his legs and arms crossed, waiting for her to wake up since she lost consciousness.

She sat up quickly and looked around. She instantly groaned and held her head.

"Worst... hang over... ever" She grumbled before finally opening her eyes looking for the wraith. She noted her eyesight was back. Good. The last thing she needed right now was to be blind. She also noticed that the progress she made yesterday wasn't lost. Another advantage. She would have hated to have to keep repeating that process over and over again. She doubted her mind would have been able to do that more than a few times.

But then her thoughts traveled back to the dream she had. She heard that voice before. And once again, it was speaking to her, telling her of its dark thoughts. Or was this a plan? Though, she wondered if these might be Ren's... They were connected, after all. Did they reach such a level in their dependence towards one another, that she could hear his mind? No... that must not be it. He not only does not have such a voice, never had it even as a human... but he does not speak in this manner...

As she woke up suddenly and sat up, Ren leaned back as he sensed the movement to avoid it and watched her, tilting his head to the side. He heard this word from her before... This was when they talked about alcohol and how it affected people... Quite an interesting topic which he wanted to memorize. Maybe he can use that as a 'weapon' of his.

"You didn't drink..." He noted though and didn't budge, just sat there, looking at her. He didn't feel any different of course, seeing she wasn't yet doing anything.

Hyano waved him off.

"Hangover can also be used to say one has a head ache... Like, if you hit someone hard enough over the head and they wake up still hurting that would be a good time to say it." She explained to him as she got up, shaking her head before walking over to the stream to get a drink of water and splash her face a little. While doing this she also did what she needed to with the connection, shifting it slightly. Mostly to see how it would affect him or if he would even notice it.

"I did not hit you over the head either." Ren noted, tilting his hooded head to the side curiously, watching as she looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. He knew this expression all too well. "Living is so strange..." The Nazgul muttered to himself and seeing she moved about now he also got up, dusted off his cloak before moving to his little spot, facing the wall and sat down cross-legged, huddling closer to the rocky surface and pulled up his shoulders to try and protect himself from the light of the torches. When do these blasted wooden things burn out? Fire should eat the wood and go out after, right? He hissed in annoyance and started to calm down when he felt something... strange again. The same he felt before she fell unconscious... Maybe he feels her weakness now? He looked up, then around as if trying to determine where it came from. It didn't hurt of course, it was just starting to become annoying and irritating. He couldn't describe what this feeling was... but he knew this wasn't supposed to happen... It only served to make him angry.

The torches were kept lit by magic. In reality this made them rather useless to Hyano because while it provided light magic light was more like a flashlight. It did not provide any kind of nourishment, just the presence of light in itself. Hence why the torches refused to go out. She noticed his change in demeanor and raised a brow walking up to him. She knew what was most likely wrong but decided to ask anyway.

"You alright?" She asked him as she took up a seat beside him.

Her answer was silence for the next few minutes as Ren tried to determine the reason for this feeling. There were a few... jabs here and there by now, feeling slight... irritation if one could call it that but otherwise he was still fine. He didn't yet tie this to her approach though and simply looked around, his hooded head now staring at the torch that was burning not far from him. Maybe this light?

"I don't know..." He said with the same honesty he always answered her questions with and simply kept staring at the light, now as if mesmerized by it. The slow dance of fire started to draw his attention and refused to let it go. While fire itself was dangerous to his kind, the view of it could be sometimes... hypnotizing...

The wizard looked towards where he was looking and raised a brow.

"You can touch it if you like. Magic fire does not normally burn. It is technically fake." She suggested, noting how hypnotized he was. Again she loved the short attention span the wraith had. It made this whole endeavor easier in a way. It also provided some mild entertainment in such a boring place as this. And considering Ren did not like to be bored, that was very much needed.

Her words snapped the wraith out of his stare and looked at her, turning his hooded head towards the wizard and tilted it to the side.

"Magic? I don't care. It should go out... I don't like it... It is still as irritating as real fire." He huffed and huddled closer to the wall with a silent murmur about wizards, magic, fire and a note about escaping and caving in this place as it is cursed. He wanted this to end... One way or another. He hated being imprisoned, as he had been like this for many thousand years.

He won't be weak again...

He will not let this place be his eternal prison like the last one...

* * *

 _-flashback-_

 _Rattling..._

 _This was what he had been listening to for the past cycles. He lost his strength a couple of years ago. Exhaustion was a constant guest nowadays, therefore he moved little if any at all. He just... sat on the stone floor of the tower, let himself be held up by the chains that still kept him secured in one place for countless years he could not even remember passed._

 _While his situation did not change, his prison did. The once great land of Mordor was a desert. Mount Doom slumbered for ages now and its top began to erode, cutting its height. It did not spew poisonous gasses anymore, the sky was only dark because of the natural clouds. There was no dark magic to keep the sun out, however. With no roof above his head, the wraith was put out to the mercy of the glowing orb above. It sapped his energy, suckling it away like a vampire ate blood hungrily... The rubble that remained of the great tower was deeply buried under the fine sand, parts of it were simply ripped apart by the weather itself and fell victim to the strong winds. His prison however held strong. Due to the higher walls that surrounded him, sand did not get into his little space that much but once it did, he could do nothing to stop it from flooding his hood._

 _What did change for the better was the work of time's iron teeth. The constant flood of sand and rain, along with water falling from the sky and freezing over night... some of the chains began to loosen. The ones that were slung around him already fell from his spectral tired body and were in a heap under him. He managed to wiggle out of them once the strong nails on their ends let go._

 _Thus, he was allowed to stand properly and sit down if he so wished. At the very least, he could assume his familiar position when he meditated. The cuffs on his arms, legs and neck, however, still held him strong. He didn't even pay attention to them anymore. The wraith still had some fight left in him but with him so exhausted and tired... it was hard to put up any fight anymore. It was as if he was slowly suffocating... It was not the air that his body needed._

 _He was deprived of magic._

 _Ren could not know, though. Such a feeling was foreign to him. He did not know what was happening... only that he was weaker as the time passed. He gave up on calls a long time ago. Not only did he lack the strength to shriek... but nobody answered them anyway. He was convinced nobody heard him. The only question he still had in his mind was... where was his mate? She must have heard his call... Maybe she was caught and disposed of? That was his only guess because nothing else was a valid enough reason for her delay._

 _The only activity of the weakening Nazgul was thinking. If he was not meditating, then he was still observing the sand as it moved through the terrain in front of him. It could be mesmerizing. Like fire... This was slower, though. He could swear he could see the sand dunes being built from grain to grain._

 _Then one day... he awoke from a shallow mediation to a sharp sound next to him. At first, he was confused. He did not hear something like this for so long. Something else than the rattling that plagued his mind all along. His movements were slow, forced, even turning his hooded head towards the sound that passed minutes ago required a lot of strength from him. He lowered his invisible gaze just enough to notice one of the cuffs that held his arm was next to him. Lying on the stone floor, unmoving, freeing him from the chain that it carried. The metal was eaten by the time and the tiny but sharp grains of sand as the wind blew it around every moment. It was rusted, worn out, just like him. As it seemed, even his prison befell the same weakness that held him at bay._

 _It took him days to process this information, even when he registered that he could move his arm now. But once he did... he felt a new burst of strength come over him. With newfound energy, the Nazgul ripped and clawed at the remaining cuffs, which answered to his weak attacks. They bent like paper and fell defeated onto the stone floor, clattering loudly._

 _And so, the rattling ceased._

 _He was free of that persistent sound and free of his prison._

 _His hooded head turned towards the direction where the Black Gates were located according to his memory and forced himself to move. He did not walk for a time he could not remember, his legs carried him barely but it was enough for the first steps._

 _He will not let his Lord wait any longer..._

 _He will fulfill his command, no matter how long it took him._

 _And so, the wraith vanished into the brewing sand storm , on his way towards his future._

 _-end flashback-_

* * *

"Can we get out now?" Ren asked, snapping himself out of his forced memories of imprisonment, although his tone was even as if knowing the answer already and was just asking to be certain.

Hyano shrugged at his comment about the fire before looking above them. At his question about leaving she thought a moment before replying.

"Do you have any ideas as to how?" She asked, deciding to throw the question back at him. She doubted he had any real ideas but that worked in her favor at this point. She was still mentally frazzled from last night but she was well enough to be able to talk to him clearly. That was good at least.

The answer of course rendered the Nazgul silent, unable to reply anything. He didn't have any ideas but seeing that he doesn't know how the new world looks like and didn't see this cave from the outside, one can't expect him to know... She on the other hand saw everything, didn't she? She should know how to get out... Right? So why doesn't she work on it?

"Do YOU have any ideas?" He asked, now turning his hooded head towards her, expecting some kind of valid answer from her or at least the beginning of a plan. She meditated a lot in the past days and had been silent. She must have had thoughts of their escape.

Hyano didn't say anything for a moment, resting her hands on her knees and her head on her hands.

"This is annoying." She admitted, smiling as she remembered this being the first word he learned in the language of Man from her back in the shack. Even though she had no real desire to leave right now she did not really want to stay here so there was no lie to her words. And to be honest she didn't really see much when she was out and about. She knew enough to know that the ruling race here seemed to be elves. After that she had no clue in the void about this place really. She hadn't really been out and about long enough to know.

"Annoying indeed..." The Nazgul trailed off and simply huddled closer to the wall, pressing his hooded head against the rocks there, shutting out the outside world, returning to his inner thoughts. There must be something... Surely there is a way... They just have to work together in order to achieve this goal. "How does it look like?" He asked suddenly, not really specifying what he meant until he realized that she can't read his mind like his brethren, so continued. "This world..." He added, not looking at her, just pressed his head against the stone wall.

The istar looked at him, then away, her eyes on the opposing wall.

"It is full to the brim with magic but very empty of any darkness. To be honest, I think we are the first dark things to set foot here. It makes this world kind of useless, though. I didn't see much after that. I was only here a day or two before coming here and half way through the second day I passed out cold. There is so much magic here but I couldn't get to any of it until I touched you finally." She replied and thought for a moment, trying to think of anything Ren might care to know. To be honest, there really wasn't much to tell. There were the tree herders but even that didn't matter much to the wraith. "Did I tell you I brought the herder family along? That one you met onn Halloween?" She questioned, realizing she had in fact left that out.

Magic? Plenty? After the time spent in Middle-Earth which lacked it, it was good news. Perhaps he can get back to his full power now? Maybe he is now getting in more magic and energy through Hyano? Which also means that he will far more stronger than he was just a few weeks ago... In addition, she might be more powerful as well? He just can't feel either because of this light... It weakens him and his senses...

"Good..." He said in reply to this, nodding, only to stop in the motion and tilt his head a little at the mention of the family. He could scarcely remember them but then again, he didn't think they would be of any use to them anyway... "And... why should that interest me? They won't work to get us out, would they?" He asked, halfway ignoring this, halfway however he couldn't help but wait for her answer. Maybe them? Maybe they can...?

"We aren't that lucky. Maybe if I had been corrupting them back in Middle-Earth but no such luck. It is just good to know who you are familiar with in a world where nothing is familiar." The orange istar replied with a sigh, rubbing her temple softly. Now that she thought about it that would have been a good idea. Too bad she had lacked her memories at the time. The family in general had a lot to offer in terms of sheer strength though their balance was almost as bad as Ren's... almost. The number of creatures that had balance as bad as this wraith were few. She was sure he probably tripped over air more than once.

"For you maybe..." The Nazgul noted, pointing out that only she can feel that way, after all he doesn't know the family the way she does. He maybe saw them once in the shop... He can remember the little girl more clearly though, since he thought she stole his bouncy ball... and she made it grow. Good thing was that her ball simply was colored the same way as his... but bounced less. Still... they were no allies of his, so his interest was not sparked. Instead -trying to pass time- he reached into his cloak and started searching through the items he stashed away from Middle-Earth, picking out a few to look at them and bask in them being in his property, before stopping at the same old book she used to tell him stories from. Right now however he didn't reach it out to her, instead he started flipping through the pages, looking at the few pictures it had and tried to make out some of the words.

"They are similar to the orcs. Hard skin and bones like thick tree trunks. They can lift and take a beating that humans never could. Would have been worth it." Hyano said with a sigh. She was rather glad that Gandalf's understanding of Black Speech was little to none because if he was listening she might have been in trouble for saying such things. Though, she could simply play it off as her just saying it for Ren. In reality what she was saying was true. If she had her memories she probably would have done just that. The herders were at one point pure creatures but once they became human like they were as easily tainted as any man. She had witness one do horrible things more than once. She blinked when he took an interest in her book seemingly out of nowhere. "Looking for something specific?" She questioned curiously.

The wraith hissed as she spoke, turning his hooded head towards her and watched her with a shake of his head.

"But you are late, so they are no allies of mine. Only speak of them if we can do something about it..." He told her and simply shrugged, turning right back to face the wall, continuing what he was doing, now flipping two pages to look at the next picture. Oh yes... He can remember this one! She played this for him on the... what was it called... po...pu... ah, piano! He nodded to himself, pleased by his good memory and started to recall what it was about. A tragic story maybe for someone like the elves or humans but for him, it was more than amusing. Death, terror, fear and torture was very much appealing to the Nazgul. Once she spoke up again, throwing his concentration, he hissed and didn't even bother turning, instead shook his head.

"No. You just go back to thinking. You know the place better than me... So think of a plan. Or else we die..." He told her strictly while he flipped a page again, feeling disappointed that the next story didn't have a picture and after trying to figure out the words in the title in vain for a few minutes, he simply gave up with a shrug and flipped to the next story. Oh, this one had a picture!

Sometimes she thought he gave her more credit than she deserved. Not that Hyano hated the attention. It wasn't that at all. It was more the fact that even if she wanted to get them both out they wouldn't get very far anyway. She gave them a few days at most if not an hour or two after Gandalf found out that they had gotten out before they were killed on the spot. She considered it a moment before standing up and walking around the area. This was the main section. They had yet to really explore yet. "We could see where all the caverns go." She suggested. It wasn't much of a plan, really. More just a suggestion on something to do.

"They surely don't lead outside..." The wraith commented, shutting the book loudly and opening his cloak to put it back into its place. "They wouldn't have put us here if there was a way out..." He murmured but stood up soon after anyway, hissing at the light as it got reached him now more intensely again and shook his head before walking over to her, stopping beside his mate to look at the tunnel she was standing at. To say the least, he saw little... Even that place was lit rather well, if not more than the central cave itself. Huffing, he backed away from the place with a shudder, feeling uncomfortable with that much light.

"Maybe but it is better than sitting here and waiting." The istar pointed out, then noticed his discomfort. She looked at the tunnels and thought for a moment, then held her hand out. She started to close it slowly and the lights started to dim... for a moment. Then there was a spark against her hand making her gasp and pull her hand back the lights coming back in force. Seems like Gandalf truly didn't trust her if he made the torches so her magic couldn't darken them. She cursed under her breath her hand now sporting a burn mark.

Ren couldn't do anything else but watch as this happened, after all he lacked knowledge in the arcane arts, so could not help in any way. While he did step forward when the lights started to dim, hoping that she can make them go out, seeing more clearly each second but he backed off with a sharp hiss when it all came back, blinding him for a moment before he gained back that little sight he still possessed. Hissing once, he looked at her, noting her pained gasp but saw she seemed still standing, so perfectly capable to serve him still.

"Annoying..." He said the same word he always did when something didn't go his way, also the very first word he uttered in the language of Man, before hissing once and moving towards the tunnel again, stopping under one of the torches, then not saying a word, he reached out to touch the wooden piece of the cursed object, wanting to see if he can take it into his hand...

Hyano didn't notice until it was too late and the magic keeping her from snuffing the fire out reacted to him trying to remove the torch.

There was a cracking sound as an electric pulse of magic snapped at his hand, almost like it was smacking him away. It was a defensive magic. Not really deadly but it refused to allow anyone to put the fire out.

While he didn't feel pain, the flash of light and the sudden surge of something not as pleasant, in addition the force that pushed him away surprised the wraith, so fell backwards, away from the torch, landing on his back not far from it. Damn light magic and the tricks these filthy elves use... or the White... He couldn't tell if this was the work of an elf or an istar.

Hyano jumped as she heard the sound, then looked at him.

"Are you alright?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, walking up to him. She knew better than to think that he was seriously hurt. After all that experience with him... it took just a bit more than such small magic to harm him.

At the question her only answer was a blast of curses in Black Speech coming from the Nazgul as he -while struggling- stood up, almost tripping on his own feet, now outright furious, he bent down to retrieve a rock and hurled it at the torch which zapped him.

"You will fall!" He hissed angrily as he took the next rock to hit it with it. That blasted thing will fall to the ground! No question about it! Of course, most of the rocks he threw missed their mark because he lacked most of his sight due to the light and because his accuracy wasn't the best either. If he can't touch it, then the rocks shall do the work! How dare they keep him away from his goal? The cursed rats!

Hyano watched as the wraith lost his temper. Well, at least he was wearing himself out. That was good. He seemed more... easily agitated now, though. Could this be an effect of the change she made? She pondered this before hearing another crack as a rock met its mark but was then zapped right back at the wraith with the same force. Almost as if it was laughing the effort off. Oh, he wasn't going to like that. She stepped back from him slightly, not wanting to get hit by a rock at the moment... or a wraith who happened to lose his balance.

The Nazgul took the rocks with ease, as he lacked the feeling of pain but that didn't mean he didn't feel the force of them. It jerked him back sometimes but he wasn't about to just let this win! He will win this fight! So... seems like the torch itself was protected...

But what about its environment?

The wraith stopped throwing the rocks, keeping the last one in his hand, while the last rock he threw bounced off of his head when the torch threw it back. This only served to agitate the creature further.

"I will bring you down!" He half hissed and half shrieked at the torch as if it was his greatest enemy -which it was at the moment- and charged forward but this time stopped in front of the torch, not touching it. Instead, he looked around it, reaching out to try and touch the rocks, trying to find the location where it connected to the wall of the cave before he started to pull at the rocks, trying to loosen them and bring the torch to the ground this way.

Hyano watched this for a moment, wondering if Ren had lost his mind. That is until she noticed what he was trying to do.

"Ren... Ren you should stop before-" She was too late as the rocks came loose and the torch came down alright... and landed smack dab in his hood.

The moment the torch fell into his hood, the wraith lost his sight for that time. He shrieked at the sudden flash and was surprised at the magic as it zapped him, starting from his head. Instantly he fell down onto his hands and knees, reaching up to take the thing out. But it wasn't so easy... While he didn't feel the pain, his body reacted to it, making movement very hard and slow. It was uncomfortable... irritating... annoying... and oh so humiliating... But he didn't care about that. Instead, he felt too much anger and agitation to concentrate on his pride for the moment...

Hyano cringed at this and quickly ran up to pull the thing out, knowing that not only was the light a problem but the magic around it as well would also react too.

"Damn it all, Ren. Don't you ever stop?" She said as she shoved him onto his back, then got on top of him, grabbing the torch. She cringed as it shocked her repeatedly, making getting the stupid thing out all the harder before she finally tossed the blasted thing away. She panted as she looked down at him. "You are far too stubborn for your own good." She scolded him.

The feeling of the repeated zaps disappearing made his spectral muscles relax all of a sudden and simply laid there on the floor. Only a few seconds later did he start to move, propping himself up onto his elbows, after hearing her comment.

"But it worked!" The wraith pressed on, briefly searching their environment to catch a glimpse of the torch on the ground. "It worked! It is down!" He shouted in victory, still panting and pointed at the 'defeated' object as if he just managed to beat his worst enemy. Mainly this was to mask the blow to his pride about the torch falling into his hood and the bit about the rocks being thrown back at him without missing him... But then again... he got it down, just as he wanted! Right?

Hyano was about to reply when the torch itself disappeared then reappeared back in its original place as if nothing had happened at all. She looked at the torch then back down at him.

"Want to rephrase that?" She questioned, before getting off of him and making her way back to the main area. If he did that to himself again she would likely let him get hurt for a bit before helping him. He was being so brash. Even for him... She stopped as she realized something. He never really had emotions but in a way he could feel things. Maybe... that was why. The shift she made was making him a little irrational maybe? She looked up at the sky. Only a few more hours until the event started today. Gandalf would leave then... she would figure it out for sure then... when he wouldn't be there to get in the way.

Of course the wraith still kept pointing at the place when the torch disappeared, then moved his hooded head to stare at the wall where he got the torch from, watching as it happily sat at its place. He let his hand drop to the floor and didn't get up for a few minutes, feeling disappointed and helplessly frustrated. Finally, after moving and getting up he still stared at the torch. There must be a way he can get them off somehow... They can't go and place themselves on the wall if the wall is not suitable... Like... Maybe if he dug deeper... Hmm...

Still not giving up, Ren strode over to the nearest torch on the wall of the main cave and started digging around the rock holding this torch up. This time he kept his hood down, just in case it fell but took great care to dig only around it and not at the rock which held the torch until he managed to make a small sized hole, enough for the torch to slip inside if it replaced itself, before lashing out at the rock which held the torch, backing away slightly to watch what will happen. Will it place itself at the same direction it came from, so ending up in the hole?

Before the torch even hit the ground it disappeared. However, it didn't appear where the wraith predicted. Instead it appeared right beside the hole. As if it knew all along what was happening.

Hyano sometimes wondered if magic had a mind of its own when it did things like this. It could be unpredictable. Even in the hands of a master. It was like an animal, really. Could be trained... but if one wasn't wise it would lash out. It was how many a wizard became cursed.

Hissing, the wraith formed his hands into fists before punching the wall, making a few rocks fall and bounce off of his head, which once more angered the Nazgul further, making his visibly shake. So, shrieking in fury, he started digging that same hole further along the wall, wanting to dig it all around for the torches to disappear into them, to have no more place to put themselves but into the hole!

Hyano watched this and took a seat. This would likely go on for hours depending on if she decided to distract him or not. Nah. She would let him go. Better to focus his anger on a torch than on nothing at all.

Just a few more hours. She thought to herself repeatedly. Just a few more hours.

* * *

 _-few hours later-_

Hyano looked towards the sky, sensing darkness approach. It was about time for things to start at the celebration... and she no longer sensed Gandalf nearby. The time has come to move things forward a bit. She looked at Ren.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him simply, curious if he felt any real change in himself yet. Though, she had noticed a slight personality shift. This might just be an effect of him being trapped in a closed space. She would find out soon.

By now the wraith was done digging and was standing at the same torch he tried knocking down in the main cave. The wall was now decorated by a continuous hole all along the wall at the same height where the torches were still sitting unsuspecting. Just as she asked the question, Ren dug at the rock holding the torch and stepped back to let it fall and put itself back. He was excited of course and didn't bother replying just yet. He was at the end of his energy by now, needing meditation but he decided to not rest until he solved this problem of theirs. His answer to her question will depend on his success.

Hyano had a good idea what was about to happen but decided to use this moment to shift the flow of magic, changing it slightly to make it lighter.

When the torch fell, it disappeared but instead of reappearing it seemed to just be gone... then all the rocks that Ren had spent so much time digging out also started to disappear and replace themselves where they had originally been. The moment the last rock was in place the torch reappeared as if nothing had ever happened in the first place.

He couldn't believe it.

Ren watched helplessly as everything reassembled, ruining his work completely. The many hours he spent digging was now nothing more but a waste of time... There was a sudden weakness coming over him, where he lost his energy all of a sudden, causing him to fall to his knees slowly and stare at the rebuilt wall. He didn't think anything of this but blamed this on his frustration and disappointment, the realization that he did all this work in vain. It surely was that...

"Not well anymore..." He said, finally answering the question she asked a while ago. He hated this situation... It was too frustrating.

Hyano looked him over for a moment before stepping up to him.

"They made this place to keep you weak, Ren. Just enough energy to live but they know that darkness is not an option if they want to keep your power under wraps." She said with a sigh. "You are going to need to meditate for a while, Ren... You used a lot of energy doing that." She said, sounding worried for him now.

"Then do something about it..." The Nazgul hissed angrily, finding himself weakened indeed. It surely is from this unfortunate and unsuccessful attempt at putting these lights out... And if she knows the reason for their existence... then why isn't she trying? Why isn't she doing anything? "I am working on this... and why am I working on it alone?" He asked, turning his hooded head towards her, staring at her still not moving from his kneeling position. "I can't meditate now... Not now... We need to get out." He added, now letting his invisible gaze wander the walls, then up towards the dark sky. He will keep to his promise of not meditating until he found a way out.

He will not rot in another prison for thousands of years!

Hyano considered this a moment. She guessed now was as good a time as any.

"You were doing that on your own because it wasn't much help and I assumed it was good for you to vent out on it. You are trying to get out on your own because I have no desire to leave." She explained and she turned to walk away from him, certain she didn't need to look at him to know his reaction. She would hear it more likely than anything anyway.

At first, Ren didn't say anything, silence engulfed the cave after she spoke her last sentence. The wraith thought he was just hearing things but after his mind cleared somewhat he couldn't help but feel anger suddenly reach his senses.

"What?" He asked, irritated, questioning her, now turning his hooded head slowly towards her, staring at her with his hooded head tilted to the side. "What was that?" He asked, now his tone becoming more demanding as he moved to stand, although on shaky legs but he managed to do so and stepped towards her. "What do you mean?"

Hyano sighed.

"If there is one thing I know about you, Ren, it is that your hearing is fantastic. But if you need me to explain a bit better, I can." She said, turning back towards him. "Gandalf was ready to kill you the moment we got here. The only thing that kept you alive was the fact we are connected. However, Gandalf started to consider ways of breaking that connection so he could destroy you. So I threw in a different idea. This. Just so you know the reason you feel strange right now isn't the fire." She explained and corrected his earlier thinking.

The Nazgul didn't know what to think or what to do. He was never faced with such a situation before. What she said was kind of... unbelievable and only now did it start sinking in.

"What?" He asked, his voice being quite even, despite the topic as he stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "What are you doing to me?" He continued, his hands clenching to fists and took another step, now stopping right in front of her, his tone becoming demanding and authoritative.

Hyano looked up into his hood before sighing.

"Last night I broke through the power of your ring and ever since I have been changing the flow of magic between us. You should start feeling the effects more as time goes by. In a nutshell if this works out this should temporarily reverse the effects the ring had on you. Though that is 'if' this works." she explained to him calmly. This was an important detail. If it worked, Ren could change for the better, perhaps she could attempt to reverse the effects of the curse but for this she would need extensive knowledge of the ring itself, which she lacked. But if this does not work, then her attempts will be in vain. The darkness would simply form back as soon as it was changed, even the slightest. Her current plan was to make a small change. Just to appease Gandalf.

"Stop it!" The wraith demanded, leaning closer to her to try and intimidate her, showing his dominance. "You would take away my power and my immortality! Or kill me in the next second with this foolishness!" He hissed, stepping forward, now pushing against her, forcing her back. "I won't become something weak and the pet of the White. I am no one's pet! I will destroy myself first before he even has the chance to command me around!"

Hyano stepped back as he pushed her, then rolled her eyes.

"You are not going to be anyone's pet, Ren, so get that nonsense out of your head. You also won't be completely human and it isn't permanent." She said, crossing her arms. "If I wasn't being careful you would likely be dead a long time ago. I am doing what I can to assure everything goes smoothly."

"What do you think is going to happen once you change me?" The Nazgul asked, his voice staying demanding and dominant, pushing her backwards with his hands, now starting to act aggressively again, mostly because of the sudden betrayal he felt. This wasn't the first time, either. They have been through this once already. He pushed himself to trust her again, seeing she was his only ally. But now... The second time was a clear warning. He will need to make a decision. "They would want me to do what they say, to not go against them and be all good. What do you think it means? I would become their servant! I would be their pet! I would be bound to do their bidding to stay alive? I kill myself before I would be forced to do that!" He hissed furiously and pushed against her again with more strength this time. "And you? You are playing right along? So what we talked about in Moria is nothing? It doesn't have the meaning it should? Your word was not meant sincerely? Do you betray me again?" He almost shrieked now. "Yes, smoothly for the wizard and what he wants. But not for me. You chose once..." He once more hissed sharply and raised a hand to point at her. "... then keep yourself to it."

Hyano caught his hand, glaring up at him.

"I know exactly what I am doing and I'm not betraying you no matter what you might think." She snapped. "If there was another way I would have taken it, Ren, but there isn't. If you haven't noticed the only source of darkness in this world is you. Even if we had managed to get away then what? None of the spells I know to make your army will work here. The ground is too pure. The only resource we have is time and we can't exactly do anything with that if you are dead." She pointed out to him bluntly before letting go of his hand.

"The darkness infests and influences..." The wraith trailed off as he pulled his hand away from her angrily, hissing still in anger. "Wherever I am it is only a matter of time until it seeps into the land and into the hearts of creatures. It only needs a little source..." He pointed out, then gestured to himself. Unlike in Middle-Earth where their Dark God, Morgoth was the very source of darkness when he still walked the world before his banishment, this time Ren could become the -although slower- source and spreader of dark magic and all that came with it. "And what do you plan on doing once you changed me? Deliver me to the wizard? So he can use me? What after? Will you keep me like that? Will I be doomed for eternal servitude? That wasn't my plan... That wasn't _our_ plan!" He hissed and stood in front of her still, unknown to her -but she surely suspected- glaring down at her. "If you think that I will willingly become a pet of the White, then you are mistaken. I rather die than be forced to do what he says."

"Exactly." Hyano said to his comment about the darkness. "Even in another form that will be the case, Ren. You will be able to influence the world without anyone being the wiser." She pointed out to him. "And no. You will be no one's pet. I will be sure of that. You will simply have to tolerate a new lifestyle for a time until this world has enough darkness to use. Gandalf won't even be around more than likely. The istari lifestyle normally includes a lot of traveling." She said, crossing her arms. "Oh and last I checked we came over here with little to no plan at all, so sorry if I had to come up with something when I realized we were in serious trouble." She added bluntly.

"With you altering my dark flow, do you think I will be able to influence anything? I highly doubt it." The wraith hissed, now simply turning away from her, knowing that if he looked at her longer, he would hit her for the betrayal. "And how will you make sure I won't be anyone's pet? Either the White's or the elves', it won't matter. Will be equally humiliating which I won't survive." He pointed out, feeling that such a blow to his pride he would never be able to take. Both kinds of creatures are equally hated by him and his kind. He would never be able to survive such humiliation. "And think about it... You try to tell them that they can't use me the way they please or if I step up against their wishes, they will say it didn't work and will kill us without a second thought." He fumed, knowing that if this even worked or he let this happen, he would still attempt to escape, kill them all and refuse to be a pet they desire him to become. "You saw the world. Our plan was to get over there and as soon as you are alone, you bring me back and we flee. This was the plan. I am sure you were alone a few times and didn't use the opportunity. As usual, you let them go by. Blind wizard." He pouted and simply walked over to his 'dark' corner and sat down facing the wall, huddling closer to its surface. He will just rest a little... The digging and argument took most of his energy. "Now turn back the connection or else."

The istar rolled her eyes.

"We won't be sticking around so that is hardly an issue, Ren." She told him bluntly, then sighed as he continued on about being a pet. He had a very broad definition of being a pet. Anything including not doing whatever he wanted counted as him being a pet in his eyes. When he practically threatened her to change it back she simply leaned back against the opposing wall. "No." She stated and waited for the oncoming reaction.

There was silence for a few seconds after she expressed her denial towards his wish, then he gave out a hiss, turning his hooded head just a little towards the direction she was sitting at.

"If I were you, I wouldn't say that. I can easily end your life at night. And don't care if I will die with you. Better for me. At least I won't suffer this ultimate humiliation of becoming the pet of these creatures." He warned, before once more trying to get comfortable next to the wall. "And tell that to the elves. I know them. They will keep a good eye on us. So we escape now or die here tomorrow."

"We will see." Hyano said but again made no move to change anything. He had his answer. And even if he didn't like it, that was the answer he would be stuck with for now. She looked up at the hole in the ceiling. Gandalf or someone would be back soon. She was counting on it. Ren would keep his word.

Despite what most thought of dark creatures they were very good at keeping their word which in a way made them all the more dangerous.

* * *

 **Aaaaaand... Cut!**

 **Well, seems like the two are at it again.**

 **Hmm... Will Hyano succeed with her plan? Or will Ren go through his promise to murder her if she doesn't comply?**

 **We hope you enjoyed our chapter. Come back in two weeks to find out what happens next!**

 _CA Productions_


	7. Expecting the Unexpected

**First off, we would like to thank our Readers who stuck with us so far. But now we realized there is a serious matter we will need to deal with.**

 **We have received a review, which raised some concern in us. Now, we know that if Hyano and Ren weren't in the chapters, we receive no reviews at all and our story lost popularity ever since we introduced new characters.**

 **So, we were ready to answer the distress calls of our Readers.**

 **Enjoy the revamped chapters!**

 **Thank you for staying with us!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 7 -Expecting the Unexpected

Hyano had fallen asleep.

No real surprise there. She hadn't really slept well since she got to the new world, so she was bound to pass out no matter how much she didn't trust the wraith at the moment.

She sat against the wall with her legs and arms crossed. One would think she was meditating if they didn't know any better, however the fact she moved very little even to breathe was a dead give-away to anyone who knew her well.

Ren had been up and alert for a long time now, also for a few hours he had been watching her from his position, his hooded head was turned towards her. He didn't move otherwise, just watched. Despite his warnings she still kept this devastating change and despite his command she didn't change it back. Instead she wants him to change and do something he always avoided doing.

She is weakening him, depriving him of the needed energy intentionally.

Even after long hours of meditation he wasn't able to get enough energy to get back to full power. Instead, it felt like Middle-Earth all over again. No... worse than that. After it was clear she was asleep, noting the signs, he slowly but surely stood from his position and started stalking towards her, his hand slowly reaching inside his cloak to retrieve his sword. If she doesn't listen to him and if she still keeps killing him slowly, making him to a pet to the elves and the wizard... then she is of no use to him any longer... She betrayed him... yet again. He knew he will probably destroy himself with it but at least he will not be humiliated like this. She has proven him all over again that with her by his side he cannot fulfill the duty that his Lord left him with. His last command... To conquer. And if he cannot do as his Lord wished, then he was useless...

His silent Master did not have any plans for useless creatures.

Just a single cut at the neck... That is all he needed...

The wraith might have been able to do it too, had it not been for their connection. One moment she was asleep, the next she was wide awake. She didn't even think not having to, considering the current situation and simply used a wind spell to blast him into the opposing wall. She looked at him and her eyes hardened. This was going to get worse before it got better she was sure.

"You of all people know I'm not that easy, Ren." She scolded, obviously annoyed.

The wraith shrieked in surprise as he was blasted away and met the opposite wall with a thud. He didn't move, seeing he lacked the energy at first, trying to gather it before pushing away from the wall with his sword still in his metal-covered hand. He hissed at her when she spoke.

"I don't know you anymore." He simply replied and started advancing towards her again. This wasn't a bad move either, now that he thought about it. He surely won't be able to get to her now, she will just use spells to push him back... But then again... he loses energy with each spell that hits him and because he has a hard time replenishing it, he might end up as a statue again and hopefully she will also lose energy and end up falling unconscious... then both of them will die...

Not a bad plan. He better chooses death than such humiliation of working for the wizard and the elves, becoming their pet. His Lord would punish him with death if such fate would befall him.

The istar scoffed as she stood up. Well, she guessed it was time to make Ren a very unhappy wraith.

"Oh? But you taught me everything I know." She said, then blasted him again into the wall but this time she was not done with simply that. The moment he hit it, she started another spell and the earth moved, clamping down on his hands and ankles. "Like how to forget my emotions in order to get the job done. That was all you, Ren." She said as she started towards him.

The moment the earth moved, he tried to wiggle his way free from the grasp of the magic but the Nazgul had no luck as usual. He hissed like a furious cat and shrieked as he tried to get free, pushing against the stone chains but he might maybe be a powerful creature, he still wasn't a strong one. He knew he was struggling in vain but that didn't stop him from trying. His mind kept telling him to escape instead, so he complied like a loyal dog.

"You are to use that against your enemies and not against me. But perhaps... I am your enemy now, am I not? Now set me free, this instant!" He shouted and tried to free himself once again, pushing at the stone but to no avail.

Hyano ignored him, fumbling in her pocket for a moment until she found some gum and dropped it in her mouth. One of the few things she brought from the old world. She stood in front of him, then blew a bubble, allowing it to pop before restarting the process.

"If I wasn't on your side, Ren, you would have died a long time ago. You can believe whatever you want but in the end this is happening." She said, putting her hands in her pockets currently keeping her actions emotionless. It was easier that way... Seeing him like this... It wasn't easy.

"Of course you wouldn't have killed me because then you would die." The wraith hissed and again moved to try and break the stone chains but he could not... Suddenly a wave of fury went through him and started moving more violently until his energy lasted to the point it was gone... Then he just slumped down, being held up by his stone captors. "Get out of my sight, traitor..." He finally hissed, although not as loudly. He lacked energy to do so and panted, his hooded head watching the floor silently now.

"Please. If that was the case I wouldn't be here either. I simply would have broke you from your stone prison and left you here. If you haven't noticed I haven't left yet." Hyano pointed out to him simply. She stepped back from him, allowing him that much peace. "You don't see it yet... but I haven't betrayed you... If anything has... it's your pride." She added before walking to the opposing wall and leaned against it, allowing herself to relax.

"Of course you wouldn't leave me here... otherwise you cannot have any energy..." The wraith added to her comment, not moving or looking at her, instead he made sure to not even glance at her out of accident, turning his head the opposite direction she went to. "And my pride never betrayed me. Because that is all I have as my own." He hissed and fell silent after that, thinking she wasn't even worthy of his words any longer. It is truly a shame he decided to make her to his second in command, that he trusted her, that he taught her, trained her... and all for this... That she betrays him when he truly needed her the most. He shall learn from this mistake. His pride was all that he had from the very beginning. One that he owned and no one could take from him. And now this pride would break with the humiliation he will suffer once she goes through with her plan.

The witch.

The wizard rolled her eyes. Now he was being stubborn again. Though, that was hardly new, considering who she was talking about. He was making more of this than what was really there but there was no real way to make him understand. Not now... not yet. This was something that would have to take time. There was really very little else that could be done... However... she looked up at the hole in the ceiling before walking out into the middle and with a sweep of her hand she created a field, blocking those above from seeing inside. She did not want anyone to see Ren like this. She should have thought to do that sooner but she was rather pressed for time when he was trying to attack her.

* * *

 _\- few days later -_

Hyano got up, stretching.

Three days.

It had been three days of this.

Ren had not spoken in that entire span. He hardly moved at all actually which surprised her. He was not one to stay still for long. Ever. So, this was a drastic change from the norm for him. She rubbed her neck, tilting it until she heard a crack, then got up and walked over to the stream getting herself some water and washed her face a little.

She had started something of a habit. She would get up, wash up, then sit and meditate continuing to fine-tune the connection like one would an instrument. She had little else she could do, considering the conditions. She had tried to talk to Ren more than once with no response, so eventually let that drop. No point in beating a dead horse as the humans say. There were so many dark deeds the humans did but she admired their creativity in sayings.

Ren had been like this for three days. He refused to speak to her, to look at her, to even as much as move, feeling dead to the world... like a captive animal that is forced to do its master's bidding. That she didn't see him move didn't mean he didn't, though. When she was asleep, he would always give it all a try until he felt he couldn't anymore. He was just... too weak for this. He had to realize that. But since when did it stop anyone from trying? He had a pride which was broken too many times since he was with her and now he wished nothing more but to revenge his situation. But even that seemed so far away.

His thoughts were completely blank when she awoke today. The Nazgul didn't even know why... It was just... as if he lost the will to even think... to plot or to just curse within his own mind. Then... suddenly... something in him snapped, even caused him to flinch a bit. It wasn't something one can foresee. Simply, the dark magic within him all piled up and suddenly took over him. It had nowhere to go, it wasn't flowing normally and it pooled up in his spectral form. Like a river, where beavers built a dam, making the water rise, until it overcomes the block and floods the plains with vengeance. The darkness that engulfed him in the next moment was defeating. The reason was simple. The lighter variant of the dark magic -acting as a dam- pressed back the darker one and now that the lighter was in greater mass, it started pressing on the darkness and having no way to let it out for the past few days, it simply came out all of a sudden.

The wraith suddenly hissed, then shrieked loudly, his hands forming into fists. And suddenly gaining new strength, the stone around him cracked and surprisingly... he broke free with a mighty push. But he didn't stop there... His vision sharpened with the sudden boost of energy that begged to leave and quickly sniffed for the first target that came into his sight... And being the only target, he charged at her. Without weapons... only with his gauntlets, ready to rip her apart with it with a very sharp and almost insane hiss-shriek mix.

Hyano's eyes shot open in surprise. Well, to say the least she was not expecting that. However, she didn't have time to stay awestruck as he came at her and with a sweep of her hand she slammed him back with a burst of energy. She probably should have seen this coming but to be honest she assumed that he would just stay captive until they were through with this whole endeavor.

Life was never that easy, though, it seemed.

Ren shrieked when he was blasted away and crashed against the wall with a loud thud, the loose rocks falling down, blocking her vision of him with the dust that followed. However, this time it didn't seem like it stopped the wraith, as in the next moment his dark form appeared from among the dust and charged at her once again with a sharp furious hiss, his hand ready to deliver a hard slap at her, aiming to claw her face open. He still didn't draw a weapon. This might mean two things. He simply was lazy to do so or he lost his mind to such a degree that he completely forgot about his weapons and how to use them.

Both facts caught Hyano off guard. The fact he was coming for another round and the fact he hadn't pulled out his blade yet. That was normally his weapon. No, he wanted to shred her with his own hands from the looks of it. She ducked back just in time, though, earned a slash on her cheek none the less before slamming him back again. She put up her hands, each one charging with energy. She would not be caught off guard twice. The blood ran down her cheek but she chose to ignore it... she had more important things to worry about at the moment.

As she expected, the wraith came right at her again. He didn't even seem to register the blow but went at her repeatedly like nothing happened. Despite the lights, he seemed to know exactly where she stood, which was unusual. Perhaps the lighter magic did have its effect and made him tolerate it more... or simply he didn't seem to care or oriented himself with the help of his nose and aura. He had a rather strong aura right now, which also caused some of the lights to shrink but not go out. However, this time he seemed to also be prepared for her just like she was for him. The moment he came at her and the moment she tried to blast him away again, he used the momentum of his speed to throw himself onto the ground, avoiding the blast and in the same time he lashed at her feet, attempting to trip her, so they can continue their fight to a more... even level.

The orange wizard hit the ground, the wind getting knocked out of her but she didn't stay down long, flipping back to her feet. Well, he wanted to really fight her? Fine. She would humor him. The moment she was on her feet she ran at him, using only enough magic to create blocks against his gauntlets and make her punches more forceful. She swung her fist for his chest. She didn't believe she could knock the wind out of him like he did her but she could probably send him back a step or two.

The dark creature also stood by the time she did and swung his hand at her, only to have it blocked and a punch was sent to his chest. He hissed in annoyance at the hit but otherwise he didn't register it again, instead countered it right after, sending another clawed slap towards her face, trying to disorient her so he can just tackle her and fight on the ground, get the upper hand if he can. He didn't care about the magic, neither that she was his mate... neither where he was and about the light. He just... didn't register it altogether.

His mind was gone...

He was the wraith her wizard friend had to battle so many years ago.

Hyano put her arm up, blocking the hit to her face and gritted her teeth before creating a light orb and blasting him in the hood with it. When in doubt do what works. Well what works for now. She noticed he was more tolerant of the light. Maybe he had been here long enough to get used to it. Though, honestly she didn't care enough to analyze it fully yet. She would find out later...

If there was a later.

The light orb came suddenly and still being a dark being, it made the crazed Nazgul back off and shriek in a way that signaled his suffering, being more high-pitched. It took him a little time but eventually got rid of the light, grasping for it, becoming daring before he managed to get a hold of it, then simply as if it was a ball of glass he held it in his hand and crushed it, making the light go out suddenly, all the while staring at her as if promising that this same fate will happen to her. Ren only sounded another short hiss before lunging, now throwing his weight at her, again aiming to tackle and get the upper hand. He started to slowly realize that standing up only enables her to counter him. But she surely won't have that much free room if she was to fight lying down.

Hyano glared back at the obvious threat before yelping as he finally got his wish, her balance for once slipping as they both went down. She gasped, the hard floor hitting her dead on the head but she didn't take the time to really register it. Again the thought of how the void was he so damn heavy came to mind before she started to struggle. She couldn't stay down. If she was on the ground too long she was dead and everything would have been for nothing... She was not going down that easy.

The wraith gave a triumphant hiss as they finally landed on the floor. Instantly he moved to make sure he stays on top and so would have the upper hand. His lack of firm balance however always seemed to make things more complicated than they were... But surprisingly he didn't seem to be affected by this... trait all that much. As if it wasn't him who the wizard was fighting but a monster that was laying dormant for a long time and broke free of its chains. He hissed sharply each time one of her hits landed on him but he worked to counter them. He used his gauntlets to defend himself, the sharp edges doing their job to cause her pain and make her bleed, which only made him lose his mind more. The scent of blood was so alluring, yet so disgusting. And yet... he craved more of it. He raised a hand to use his gauntlet to claw at her face or crush her skull but she moved and he missed the target, instead the Nazgul slammed his hand down onto the ground with a thud, the fingers sinking deep into the earth, which only showed the wizard that the wraith really meant it, he really was out for the kill and he is not holding back.

Hyano didn't stop to consider this. She didn't have the time. Once his gauntlet was slammed into the ground she slammed her fist into the ground as well and used the same spell she used on Moria's ceilings on the ground under them to ceil his hand there. If only for a moment, then slammed her knee into his gut as hard as was possible with only a minor amount of magic. He was out to kill. She obviously was not and it showed since she was very much holding back in her attacks. She wasn't attacking really. She was defending and subduing him as much as was possible.

If he was able to break free of her stone chains, then this wasn't a problem for him either. However Ren seemed to just forget about it and after quickly recovering from the kick, he simply used his other hand to grasp her neck in a firm hold, the sharp edges of his gauntlet digging into her skin while he squeezed, intending to choke her if he could while working on getting his other hand back, pulling on it as best as he could.

The female wizard hissed and gritted her teeth as he clutched her neck, cringing as the sharp blade-like metal dug into her skin, making it sting, while air was starting to be scarce. She gripped his cloak tightly, her mind racing before she used a fist and slammed it into the ground again, releasing his stuck hand suddenly, then slammed her foot into his chest again only this time she hit him with a burst of energy. Considering the hold he had on her neck... this was likely going to hurt her quite a bit but at this point she either had to do it or die and she was not dying yet.

The wraith shrieked when the hit landed and fell backwards, losing his balance as trademark of his person. But unfortunately for her, his grip on her neck was so strong and so tight, that he didn't let go but pulled her right with him. He fell to the ground with a thud and was stunned for a few seconds by the blow before acting again. He hissed first as if he was dazed and shook his hooded head to try and get his bearings before realizing what is going on and never letting go of her neck he tried to claw at her face or grasp her head and crush it. He wasn't in the mood to play around as it seemed.

Hyano gasped as his claws dug into her neck, making breathing hard. She gritted her teeth, gripping his wrist. She was in trouble. If she wanted to live she was going to have to stop holding back. She gritted her teeth, then the hands on his wrists both lit on fire. She didn't like the idea of lighting Ren on fire but considering the situation she was lacking many options. Besides, she didn't have to completely light him up. Just the parts of him that were currently trying to kill her.

Being the one on the bottom, the wraith couldn't dodge or get away from the fire. He shrieked in surprise when the sharp light of the fire danced so close to him. But not only that... he felt the bite of the light once again, so fought even more furiously to get her off of him. Finding new strength within desperation, Ren swung her to the side, off of him and released her neck, her skin now sporting cut marks and a nice bruise from his gauntlet. The Nazgul stood up and moved about, crashing against some rocks in order to put the fire out. Once successful, he again didn't waste time but charged right at her, clearly having not enough of the blasts and attacks. He still came back for more. And he didn't seem to give up anytime soon.

Hyano yelped as she was practically thrown into the ground so hard she bounced once. She gritted her teeth and just had enough time to think before he came again.

"Sorry, Ren." She said, then slammed her foot into the ground and a stone wall came up between them before she kicked it, sending it at him with all the force she had. She had to keep him back, to keep him at bay, at least until he calmed down. That wasn't going to be anytime soon but she wasn't thinking about this just yet.

The wraith was hit by the stone wall rather hard and stumbled backwards, watching as it neared him, cutting him off of his prey. But this won't stop the crazed Nazgul anymore either. He had a surprisingly quick thinking and quickly found the way out. He started sprinting towards the end of the wall, raking his gauntlet across the stone as it pushed him, enjoying the sound of metal clashing with stone, before finally rounding the corner and spotting the wizard. Once again completely ignoring everything, he started at her, running towards her with a hiss, ready to clash with her.

She won't get away from him so fast!

The orange istar looked at him, then slammed the ground again creating another wall and slammed it at him. However, this time she did not wait to repeat the process several times until she had created what could best be called a tomb for the wraith, or a stone circle right next to the wall to keep him away from her. She panted as she finished. That was not a spell that required a lot of magic but it did require a lot of energy and strength instead which easily wore out the body. She stepped back. She honestly wasn't sure how long she had until yet again he was at her... Hopefully long enough to at least catch her breath, though.

The wraith stopped any advance after making a round... no... two... three around the stone walls, trying to find a way out but he found nothing. He started to tire now after so many times running around the walls, then stopped somewhere, leaning against the wall for a few minutes. There was silence for that long, only the deep breaths of the wizard could be heard, before the wraith also started to take deeper breaths, his shoulders rising and falling more intensively as he tried to sense the scents in the room, until he snapped again. He shrieked like mad and eventually started pounding and clawing at the walls in an attempt to get to her before there was silence again.

Then... there were some... mysterious scratching sounds coming from his direction...

* * *

 _-Elsewhere-_

Lilly ran through the city, heading right for Fieven's house.

Rosa had told her about the little surprise and she was very excited. Though, to be honest, she was more wanting to bother the elf about why her sister was so... well... depressed. When everyone got home, Rosa was already in bed and this morning she had only woken up long enough to tell Lilly about the surprise and how to get to Feiven's before she again retired.

Lilly didn't understand.

Despite Rosa's outburst, no one was mad. Last night had been a lot of fun. What's more, they can eat now! It had to be the elf's fault... She just wasn't sure why.

She got to his door, following what was left of her sister's scent there and knocked, trying to be careful not to knock too hard or too soft. She wasn't sure what the door was made of.

Fieven had been up for about fifteen minutes by the time Lilly knocked on his door. Not knowing who it was, he frowned and moved to stand from his chair and peeked outside. Seeing no one, he opened the door and this was when he noticed the little girl.

"Oh, hello." He greeted her, surprised, from all the thinking forgetting the 'pet' this morning. The arrangements were made yesterday night, though.

Lilly blinked up at him.

Lilly giggled and skipped into his home, looking around.

"So, what did you have for me? Rosa wouldn't tell me what. No matter how much I begged. She is almost as big a dumb dumb-head as you are." She said, crossing her arms, pouting cutely.

Fieven chuckled at her comment and shook his head at her with a smile on his face. She was just so adorable.

"She wouldn't tell you because I didn't tell her either. That is my secret until it is revealed to you." He said and reached down to stroke her hair gently before gesturing inside. "Did you have breakfast or perhaps you wish to eat here before we go?" He asked. Of course he didn't bring her possible new friend along as he wouldn't pass through his door... They will need to go to the forest for that.

"Hm? Oh. No, thank you. I ate already. Mama made sweet sap pancakes. It's my favorite." She said with a grin, bouncing on her toes. Even though they were in a whole new place, the recipe was the same and if anything it tasted even better. "Can we go now? Pleeeaaase?" She begged, tugging on his sleeve as she jumped up and down.

The ellon couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head at the surprisingly impatient herder child and closed the door behind him, stepping away from his home.

"Alright then. Come with me, I will show you." He said and slowly started to make his way away from his home, down the path and into the forest, making sure that the little girl was following him, he didn't want to lose her after all.

Their journey was silent, finding no topic to talk about until they came closer to their destination. After a while he stopped her with a hand and turned to face Lilly.

"The animal you will see will be Lord. A very proud creature. I will go and talk to him. So, please wait here, alright?" He said and quickly moved away, spending a few minutes away from her until he called her name from afar.

Lilly let her eyes wander, doing whatever she could to not wander off no matter how much she really wanted to. When her name was finally called she perked up and grinned before running up more than a little excited to see whatever this thing was that Fieven wanted to surprise her with. She loved surprises. Even though she hated to wait, it was normally always a good surprise when someone wanted to surprise the other.

The first thing that came into her view was Fieven who stood in front of her, a little ahead of the animal he was speaking about.

Well, surely this wasn't what she thought about when she talked about a 'pet'.

The animal itself was big, large, something that spent some of its time near the forests of elves, only joining them when needed. Before them stood a majestic elven elk, with antlers large and broad, some parts however were broken down by now. Its pelt was a brownish grey, giving the appearance of an older elk but even now despite its age it still held itself proud with head raised slightly, standing gracefully in front of some foliage, its ears now turning towards her as it watched her from afar with both caution and curiosity.

She knew this elk...

Fieven stopped her however from approaching it fully and crouched down to speak to her.

"I want you to meet, Lord. He is the animal I was talking about." He said and looked at the elk.

Lilly blinked at the familiar creature, then her smile grew huge and she quickly pushed passed Fieven but stopped before she got to close.

"Lord? He is wonderful! I've always wanted to see him again to thank him. Can I touch him? Can we play? Does he talk? I wonder what he thinks. Does he have any magic?" She started questioning like most children do, her mind running a mile a minute. This creature in her eyes was perfect, despite his obvious age. Lilly was honestly too young to understand such things as age anyway. Besides the fact that adults were no fun and teenagers seemed to be very complicated. She trusted this elk. He saved her and her brother before, so he cannot be mean. Or can he?

Of course, as soon as she walked closer the elk raised its head a little higher and gave out a sound of alarm, stepping back a few times, watching her now with more caution than curiosity, its ears perked fully, its eyes were fixed on her now.

"Hey, not so fast." The elf called and walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder to this time prevent any sudden approaches. "One doesn't approach an elven elk like this, even if he showed some care. You see... Lord was the leader of the local herd of elven elks for countless years... But a few years ago he was defeated by a younger stag and he was chased and replaced. Ever since he was alone... coming close to the city in hopes of company. But we simply have no time to be with him every minute. So, I thought... you might want to keep him company and take care of him, be his... little herd for many years to follow. He might be old but he is very strong. For the care he will pay you back with gratitude and loyalty." Fieven explained, knowing about her tale about this elk and that venomous beast, how they battled and how Lord grew victorious. But this hardly meant anything. Lord was defending his territory of the carnivores and saving them was merely a side-effect. But the ellon hoped, that this could be used to introduce the old creature to a new family. Fieven patted her shoulder before moving closer to the elk, who seemed to be alright with his closeness. It was used to him after all.

"I am sure you have noticed that animals in Outer-Earth are a little different from the ones on Middle-Earth. Here they have more understanding of actions and don't fear showing it. While he doesn't talk and speaks with his actions, he does understand you. Well, human language is a little tough for him but he understands Sindarin without trouble. The language of elves." He explained further and faced her, now beckoning her closer a little. "These animals also have a sense of grace, honor and pride. To gain the approval of an elk, you have to prove him that you mean no harm and you respect him. What you need to do is bow. And wait for him to do the same. If he bows back, then he accepts your greeting, acknowledges it and is pleased by your presence."

Lilly blinked, listening closely to what he had to say before looking back towards the elk. Her smile softened a bit before she put her fists together in the same manner her father and brother had before they started their sparring match and then she closed her eyes and bowed to the elk.

"I would love to spend time with you, Lord. It would be so much fun and I would be very happy to make a new friend." She said with a giggle, waiting for the elk's reaction.

While Fieven stayed silent and waited, the elk watched the little girl from his position, his dark brown eyes scanning her features while his ears perked as she spoke, trying to understand but her speech was hard for him as expected. He flared his nostrils and breathed out with a huff, not moving for the next couple of seconds until he suddenly moved a leg and began to lower his head, bowing to the little girl in return, closing his eyes before standing up once again, still watching her.

"Now, you can go ahead and stroke his head. He will let you. But be careful. Once you are close, just let him approach you and make the last step. He is still a proud animal and should given the choice if he wants to back out of this or not." The elf explained and gestured for her to step forward and go towards the elven elk.

Lilly blinked and nodded, stepping up then holding her hand out to the elk to allow him to let her touch him. It was like meeting a stray dog back home... Well, without the bowing. If one wanted to see if the dog was friendly one would put their hand out. If the dog sniffed then nuzzled it, then it was alright but if it growled... well then there are a number of options and one better hopes the first one thinks of works because one only has a few seconds to do something. Despite her normally very perky demeanor she seemed very calm right now. She was naturally a very forward little girl. Sometimes she would act like a grown-up and not even realize it but she was still a child in the long run. It was just working out to her benefit that she could keep in control at the moment.

This time the elk didn't back off as she approached him but simply followed her movement with his eyes, his ear perking again now that she had his full attention. He flexed his muscles a little as she seemed to come maybe a little too close but once she slowed down and stopped, he gained some courage by this and slowly but surely stepped forward, still holding his head high with pride before lowering it, extending his neck slightly towards her hand. At first he just sniffed her hand while his eyes met hers, smelling the scent of a tree and fresh lilies, then slowly pushed his muzzle into her hand.

Lilly squealed happily, stroking his muzzle gently. He was so soft, although she could feel the ancient scars under the thin fur. She stepped up a little, using both hands to stroke his muzzle now and put her forehead to his, happy he seemed to be accepting her. At least so far. She looked at Fieven.

"Can he come home with me? Or will he be staying here?" She asked, wondering if Lord would be living nearby or if she would have to go looking for him every time she wanted to see him. That would make things harder of course but she would do it if she had to.

Fieven chuckled.

"Of course he can go with you. You will be his herd, which means you will be together from now on. Friends... Acquaintances... Family. Whichever you would like to call him." He smiled and moved up slowly to them, the elk raising his muzzle from her grasp slowly as well to look at the elf before turning his head as Fieven leaned in close, whispering something in his ear while stroking his neck. The language is foreign to the little girl, as it was Sindarin, melodic and soft, almost a song in itself, then patted the neck of the elk and backed away, the animal seeming to understand whatever he said. "Alright... Now I have to go to take care of... a few things. I will take you home if you want." He offered and started down the path where they came from.

Lilly blinked, then nodded.

"Alright. If you want." She said, then smiled up at the elk, part of her wondering if she could get on his back but she remembered Fieven said he was old and she didn't want to hurt him. She wasn't exactly light after all. She started after the elf, expected the elk to follow as well.

Indeed the elk started to follow the two of them, stepping lightly despite its obvious old age, still carrying himself proud and regally, holding his head up. After a while the ellon left and they finally stopped at the shack, Lilly's current home. He tilted his head to the side a little at the sight of it, remembering it as the living space of the istar. But it didn't smell like him anymore...

Lilly walked in and looked around, not seeing anyone besides her sister who was lying on the bed. She was dressed and relaxing, using her Ipod she had brought with her. The battery had enough charge for a day, two if she didn't overuse it but she likely would now that she had nothing to do. Lilly thought about talking to her sister but thought better of it and stepped back out.

"Well, Lord. Everyone is gone. How about we go play?" She suggested, giving him a smile, then got an idea. "Race you to the city?" She added with a grin.

All the elk did was stare at her and tilt his head, perking his ears up, listening to the words. He will need a little more time to actually start understanding more of her language. He was used to Sindarin mostly. This didn't mean he didn't understand anything. He knew there was no one as it seemed and she wanted them to do something but otherwise there was nothing else he could make out. He moved his tail and after a frown turned his head to start scratching his back with his teeth where he could reach it before getting annoyed and instead turned his head more to scratch the rest with his large antlers.

Lilly noticed this and tilted her head, then she ran up, waving for him to get down before running over to his back.

Not knowing what she planned but of course wanting to see, the elk slowly lowered himself to the ground, folding his legs to lay down and followed her with his gaze as she moved to his back and started scratching the itchy part. Instantly he closed his eyes and raised his head slightly in pure delight as the annoyance and irritating itch was relieved, slowly but surely. The skin on his back also flexed, giving her an easier time scratching. The point where the itch was gone was easy to see as his skin relaxed now. He still stayed where he was though, relaxing a little with his eyes closed. He might not be up for a race just yet...

The little girl made sure to use the tips of her fingers and not her nails, not wanting to actually scratch him by mistake.

"Better?" She asked, assuming this probably worked a lot better than his antlers and hurt his neck a whole lot less. She was willing to spoil him a bit and it showed. Not that surprising, though. Herder people naturally spoiled those that they took care of to a degree. They could be called almost over caring, really. Though, considering the situation it worked out well for them both.

"I'm glad you like it, Lord." Lilly said happily, then started to massage him, thinking there was no reason to really stop. She thought for a moment as she continued, then took a chance and pushed herself onto his back. She thought if he didn't like it he would let her know. But he was rather big. Maybe he still had that kind of strength in him.

The moment she sat onto his back, the elk opened his eyes and turned his head slightly to look at her before narrowing his eyes. Then, without warning he rolled onto his side, with enough force to make sure she rolls a little away from him with a gasp, so he doesn't end up laying on top of her, then stayed that way for a little while until finally moving into his previous position with a little struggle, thanks to his age. But he managed just fine, then stood up, shaking his fur to get rid of the dust and dirt.

Lilly sat up, shaking off a little dirt before looking up at him. She didn't think it was her weight though. He was just too prideful to have someone on his back. She blinked a few times cutely before she started laughing. To be honest, the whole thing had been fun.

"Alright, Lord. I won't do that again." She assured him with a smile.

Lord snorted in reply and his gaze softened slightly before stepping forward and pushed his muzzle closer to her face, sniffing at her again, then started to sniff her hair, liking the scent of lilies, which bloom next to the lake in the south, close to the bushes. Soon enough he started munching on her hair but not eating it. It was something all elk did as an attempt to take care of each other's fur, cleaning it and getting rid of parasites and also this way they massaged the skin, relaxing one another. Only after a few seconds he stopped though and sniffed the ground before he started eating the grass there. It was time he had his lunch.

The little girl blinked not sure what he was up to at first but then she couldn't help but start to giggle, his muzzle tickling her. She did try to hold it in but there was no helping it. When he moved away to start eating she calmed down before deciding he was right. It was about lunch time... she thought. She wasn't sure. There were no clocks here! She got up and walked inside and soon came back with a plate of leftover pancakes from breakfast. She took a seat on a boulder, her legs crossed and started eating happily.

* * *

 _\- later -_

A few hours later Rosa stepped out and blinked when she saw her sister curled up by... a very large elk. First the cat lizard thing now it's this. She smiled a bit, knowing that must be the pet Fieven told her about. She shook her head. Lilly was so spoiled yet the little girl didn't really act like most spoiled children. She looked to the elk for a moment, then stepped up a little curious about it.

The elk perked his ears when he heard the light steps of the girl and opened his eyes, sniffing the air to try and locate the creature. Only a few seconds later did he fix his eyes on the nearing Rosa and watched her silently, only briefly looking down at Lilly as if to make sure she was safely curled up against him before returning to watch her, curiously, yet cautiously, not yet knowing what to expect of her, just like with Lilly when she met him first.

Rosa noticed this and raised a brow and unlike her little sister she hesitated seemingly unsure. Her little sister was very... outgoing in comparison to herself. She looked towards Lilly, seeing how comfortable she was and looked back to the elk. He couldn't be that bad if Lilly was fast asleep by his side... right? She took another step but seeing as she did not know what to do she stopped mid way and chose to put her hand out like her sister did after she bowed seeing it as only natural.

The elk's ears perked even more if possible and with eyes widening slightly he looked at her hand before meeting her gaze again, his eyes warning her about this action. He also pulled his neck back slightly as a signal of his caution and distrust while his brown eyes moved to stare at the held out hand. He tensed up also a little but made no sound just yet. He didn't know what to think of this approach but she might be mistaken if she thinks of him less than a person or a living being. If she fails to show him any respect, then he doesn't need to either.

Rosa pulled back a little, confused and put off by this. He didn't seem hostile but he didn't seem pleased either.

Lilly woke up a little, sensing some negative energy around her. She mumbled and rubbed her eyes cutely.

"Lord... What's wrong?" She asked before seeing her sister and smiling. "Oh. Hi Rosa. You finally got out of bed." She said, happy to see the older one moving around.

Rosa gave her a slight smile. "Yes... Uh... This is your friend?" She asked, shifting her brown gaze back to the cautious elk.

"Oh, yes. This is Lord. He is a little snooty but very nice." The little girl said with a giggle.

Rosa raised a brow. Nice? She was not so sure about that.

Seeing she moved, was up and awake, Lord didn't waste time but started to move and stand slowly, then shook his fur a little before reaching behind again with his antlers to scratch his back, then looked at Rosa. Maybe he was a little distraught, a little cautious but still curious about her. Still, he held his head high in pride, his stance being regal and watched her again silently, without a sound. He didn't know what to think of her. It seemed like the two knew each other. Maybe they are friends? No... Their scent and looks are similar... Relatives perhaps?

Lilly got up, stretching and cracking her neck. It took her a moment to realize what was going on and when she did she face palmed.

"Rosa... bow." She said, waving to her.

Rosa blinked at this rather confused.

"What?" she asked but Lilly just continued to motion for her to do it. Rosa rolled her eyes thinking her sister was just being strange but did as told putting her fists together and bowing unknowingly also bowing to the elk.

The elk tilted his head to the side a little, having not expected the bow from her after this and watched her curiously. He stomped once and snorted, licking his muzzle a little, seemingly unsure, before finally moving a leg and slowly lowered his head, bending the other leg, giving a bow back before standing up and raising his gaze to the new girl, now with ears perked in curiosity. Although -just like with Lilly- there was still some caution within his features.

Rosa was caught off guard, not expecting this reaction herself.

Lilly grinned at this but didn't push her sister to do anything else. Instead she noticed her sister had a cloth on her arm and a wrapped bundle.

"You going out?" She asked, tilting her head cutely while she stared up at her older sister with big curious eyes.

Rosa raised a brow, then remembered why she came out in the first place.

"Oh, yes. The shop keeper I have been working with told me about a hot spring. She said it is relaxing... I thought it would do me some good." She said honestly. The shop keeper had said the elves use it to relax and the hunters use it to help calm the muscles after a long hunt. After the dance yesterday her body was rather sore anyway... Besides, she couldn't stay in the house all day. That was as good a place as any to go.

Lilly smiled glad her sister was going out. "Good." She said as she stroked Lord's side.

The elk tried listening in on what they said but found the language very hard to understand, so instead just perked his ears and looked around while he enjoyed the caress given to him but didn't lean into her hand, just in case his weight unbalances and he crushes her in the end. Instead he stood still and blinked, trying to recall what was being said. One word was familiar though... Spring... It was water... Not a lake but water. The hot water, wasn't it? The one where he always goes to when he gets sick or something hurts. Every animal goes there to make the pain go away and heal themselves. Maybe she was sick too? She didn't smell like that, though. Getting an idea, he snorted and suddenly started to move, going towards the forest. He wanted to go to the spring as well and sit around there a little. And of course look out for his little herd there. They surely will all enjoy its effects, so why not show them?

Lilly grinned as she saw this.

"Looks like Lord wants to go too. Do you mind?" Lilly asked, her eyes meeting her sister's, basically begging.

Rosa thought this over for a moment, then smiled a little and nodded.

"Alright. I might zone out. Just so you know." She admitted to which Lilly just waved her off.

Lilly ran into the house grabbing herself some food and a cloth like her sisters and ran out.

"Ready." she said with a grin.

Rosa giggled, nodded and turned to follow Lord. She assumed this was helpful. She didn't really know the way, she was just going to go off what she had been told and hope she reached it sooner or later.

The stag led his little herd through the forest, sometimes turning his ears back or his head to check if the girls are following him safely before returning to watch where they are going. He knew the way even with closed eyes, thanks to the many visits he made there. Now that he mad muscle aches sometimes, his visits were more frequent than when he was younger.

They trekked through the forest for about fifteen minutes until the air started to become humid and warmer. They were getting closer. The nearer they drew, the faster the elk was going, knowing their destination was close. He couldn't wait to feel the hot water against his aching legs and back. He knew he will sit there until the glowing orb on the sky reached the trees' line.

The spring was on a clearing, surrounded by lush green vegetation, some yellow flowers. The steaming water -which was hot because it came from very deep right next to a volcanic chamber- created a somewhat dense fog, which glistened in all colors of the world when the sun's rays met them. The spring's bed was dotted with stones and boulders at places, enabling people to sit on them to rest or for children to play.

Lilly and Rosa were able to keep up for the most part. Luckily, even though they had issues staying on their feet sometimes they were still rather quick. When they finally arrived Lilly squealed cutely. She quickly stripped down before running and jumping in.

Rosa facepalmed at this. Her sister was such a hyperactive child sometimes. She thought to herself, then looked over the spring. No one else was here luckily. Good. She really didn't want the extra company. It also looked like there was enough room that if Rosa wanted to she could be alone. Rosa stripped down as well, taking a moment to fold their clothes and place them where they should stay dry before stepping into the water slowly, letting her body adjust to the heat and... magic that was in the spring. It was a healing magic but she couldn't know that, not having any idea about such things but it felt nice all the same.

Of course the elk didn't need to stop to strip, so simply walked towards the hot water, only stopping and closing his eyes as Lilly ran past him, splashing some water on him while she ran. He only shook his head, though, and resumed walking. Once he was at a suitable spot where the water was sallow but yet deep enough, he slowly eased himself down and laid there, relaxing, enjoying as the hot water soothed his senses, his mind, his aching muscles and bones. And while he was there, he should as well finish chewing his food... So, giving off a weird sound as it would look like to humans, he regurgitated the grass he ate not long ago and began chewing on a part of it.

Rosa watched her sister swim around as she sat. She giggled as she finally came back around and without warning she sat on the older girl's lap. Rosa shook her head then started to untwist one of the little girl's locks and then re-twist it back into place. Since they got here none of them had much time to really tend to their hair. Rosa found this was as good a chance as any.

Lilly looked towards Lord and smiled.

"Feeling good, Lord?" She asked, not even fazed as her sister tightened her hair already very used to it by this age. Anyone else would be cringing from it. An elf... Heh, they probably wouldn't want to anyway so that wasn't much of a worry.

The elk was still chewing when Lilly spoke to him, hearing his name being said, this time understanding what little was told him and turned his head towards the girl with eyes half lidded and gave her a nod, feeling well indeed and having no worries, enjoying their stay at the hot spring, then turned his head back forward and continued chewing, now swallowing the grass before regurgitating the next batch and chewed again. After a while he suddenly stopped chewing and his ears perked up, his head moving towards north as he heard something and gave off a snort of alert, staying still completely, concentrating on the direction before finally relaxing and continuing where he left off at digesting his food, signaling that there is no danger after all.

Soon enough the distant voices of people could be heard as they drew closer. Mostly amused voices, probably having a good time. At least five people coming from the north.

None of them had a feminine voice...

* * *

 _\- back at the cave -_

Hyano slumped down to her hands and knees when she noticed her trick was effective enough. The wraith had yet to jump out of his make-shift prison and go at her again. Thank Valar. She was worn out to say the least. She listened, taking in every sound he made, frowning at the scratching. To an extent she felt like he was toying with her, reminding her that he was in fact there... waiting for the next moment to get her again. Bloody void if this wasn't a workout.

Now that she had the time she took notice of how much pain she was in. Her stomach, head... and her neck were all on fire. She pushed herself onto her rump and rubbed her neck, feeling the marks that would likely scar if left alone... She could easily heal them away if she wanted... but she wouldn't. She had learned from the orcs long ago to value the scars... as reminders of what one has done and what one should never do again in the future.

While she was thinking and trying to rate their current situation, the scratching sound got stranger every second. It started getting deeper, sometimes pausing but only for a moment each time, probably to gather strength. Soon enough, the mystery was solved when Ren revealed the true reason for the noises. At a spot in front of the wall the earth started to loosen and rise, revealing a gauntlet, then the cloak of the Nazgul as he climbed out. The desperate, mad and stubborn wraith actually dug his way out from his makeshift prison, then not even waiting a moment longer, he located her and neared her with a sharp hiss before charging.

Hyano's eyes widened as she saw this before she groaned in annoyance.

"You are being difficult." She grumbled before jumping up to her feet but instead of attacking him she dropping down and spun, creating a circle around herself with her foot. A second later the circle blew up in fire, creating a barrier around herself. If she couldn't subdue the wraith, she would block him from getting to her. She then fell to her knees again. This spell unlike the earth spell required more magic and less body. Give and take was a big part of magic. In order to keep the fire high enough to keep him from touching her, she had to keep the magic high as well. However... this also meant she couldn't move from the spot she was in.

The wraith shrieked at the sudden burst of flames, stepping back a few times at the sight of it before hissing once more and circling it. He needed to get to her... and get to her quick. As it was expected, with her tiring he also felt his own energy vanish. Because their connection didn't alter despite the change in magic and the transfer of energy still worked as mutual as ever. When he felt tired, he was the one who latched onto her magic to aid him, if she was getting tired, then she took magic from him. In this case both of them was starting to get exhausted in both body, mind and magic, so are trying to replenish it from each other's reserves. This only serves to tire them out even more.

It didn't take long for the wraith to sense it when they reached a certain limit and their bodies refused to share the reserves anymore. In answer to this he felt the fatigue all of a sudden like a hard slap in the face or a stone being put onto his shoulders, which started pulling him down and while he was circling the fire, he suddenly fell to his knees.

The darker power within him in this moment admitted defeat and released him from its grip.

Hyano watched as he fell to his knees. She slumped down, the fire going down as well however she made a point of keeping her eyes on him as she panted heavily. She wanted to be ready to set the circle ablaze again the moment she had to. Tired or not... she had no choice. The wizard let the magic she put over the top of the cave dissipate, not feeling it was needed at this point. He was no longer being kept chained down so she had no reason to keep those outside from seeing what was happening.

Besides... she was sure Gandalf already knew.

Ren made no move to get to her this time. Instead, he felt the fatigue more and more each second... and the worst thing was... He didn't even know why he felt so tired. All he remembered was the stone chains... that he felt offended, angry and betrayed... then everything went black with fury... And now here he was... kneeling on the ground, facing Hyano who seemed to be not much better off. He didn't even get the chance to ask though, since the moment he wanted to speak, he lost that tiny little energy as well which kept him up, so in the next moment he fell face-first onto the ground, now collapsing and losing his contact with the world for the fourth time in his existence.

Hyano let the fire ring go altogether as he fell. Her body felt like it was on fire, despite the ring being gone. This whole event had taken more than a little out of her body. However... she found the strength to move to him, sitting down beside him and carefully she moved his body so he was lying on his side before resting his head on her lap. She knew something like this was coming... She knew he would try to kill her but... it still hurt all the same. She looked down at him sadly before hugging his hooded head tightly.

"It will all be over soon..." She whispered softly, not sure who she was trying to reassure... The sleeping wraith or herself.

* * *

Of course, the ongoings inside didn't go unnoticed by the White wizard who was standing guard above, ready to jump in if Hyano couldn't handle it. He however knew to not meddle into affairs that weren't his to solve. She needed to prove herself and him that she can take care of herself and can take up the fight with the wraith successfully. He also knew for a while now that she will be victorious.

No, he didn't see in the future... He had faith.

* * *

 **That was it, dear Readers! Well, for this chapter, we mean. Not the story. -shudders- The story cannot end here!**

 _CA Productions_


	8. SOS from Beyond

**-peeks in- Ehm... -expecting stuff to be thrown at them-**

 **Happy Holidays!**

 **We would like to thank all our faithful and patient readers that you stuck with us so far. You really are amazing. So this is a Christmas present for all of you. Oh wait...**

 **So, without further talking...**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 8 - S.O.S from Beyond

The magical, glistening fog surrounded the spring in a colorful faint rainbow. The humid air relaxed those who stepped into it, while the warmth of the water soothed any pain, be it physical or emotional. Creatures all over this forest visited these waters for all these qualities.

It wasn't just animals either and the ent females were about to find out.

Lilly raised a brow wondering what had caught Lord's attention, watching as he stared at the forest, only to avert his attention, until she heard voices. Lilly had no issue with company. In fact, she was eager to meet some people.

Rosa, however, didn't seem so eager. She pushed Lilly off of her lap gently before moving to get up.

"Lilly, we should probably go." She said, not really wanting to deal with anyone right now. Much less a whole bunch of men, as the voices indicated. They weren't all too... appropriately dressed either.

"Aw but Rosa." Lilly whined, catching her sister's arm and tugging her back into the water.

Rosa's eyes went wide as she lost her balance and with a yelp she fell back in. She came back up gasping for air, then turned ten shades of red as she realized escape was little to too late as their company was already standing right there and Lilly was waving like it was no problem at all.

Of course, the hunters didn't notice them right away, instead chatted idly, some of them even began to take off their shirt for the bath. They didn't expect anyone there of course, seeing at this time they were the only ones around as usual, so didn't pay attention. They talked about one of them tripping during hunt and ruining their chances at a prey and pushed the poor hunter around who of course only laughed. With the group a familiar elf was walking, Fieven, who also began to undo some clasps on his shirt, yearning for a nice bath now. He more than likely pulled a muscle today, so the hot water will do wonders. If he was lucky it won't swell and the pain won't come back at all after this.

The chatting and approaching went on until Fieven noticed something big in the water. At first he wanted to dismiss it as simply an animal, until he realized just which animal or elk it was. His eyes widened at the sight and quickly put his hand out grasping the hand of the hunter next to him who was about to unbutton his breaches... Just in time. He frowned at him until he followed his gaze and well...

The hunters stopped in their tracks when they finally noticed the two girls, one of them even waving at them. The boys all blushed all of a sudden and backed away in surprise, some of them covering most part of their upper body. Elves were rather modest, only showing themselves naked in front of their life partners when it comes to the opposite gender. They just stood there, staring in shock before quickly averting their gaze from the sight to make sure they don't see anything inappropriate, then started meeting each other's gaze and murmured among themselves, wondering what the girls are doing here at this hour and what they should do now... They can't just... go away... Their muscles hurt and they felt dirty... They needed the bath...

Lilly was confused by the boys but Rosa wasn't. The older of the two cursed under her breath, then reached out and grabbed her cloth, putting it around her sister first, then grabbed the other and put it around herself.

"We will leave." She said, already out of the water and ready to go. If the fact they were a bunch of hunters and she was naked wasn't enough, the fact Fieven was there was more than enough.

Lilly blinked in surprise.

"What?! No! Rosa, that isn't fair. We just got here. Besides there is a whole other side they can use." She protested while gesturing towards one of the larger boulders, which almost separated the spring into half, not wanting to leave yet. She looked towards the elves. "Do you mind using the other side?" She asked with a smile not seeming bothered, unlike the rest of them.

Rosa cringed at this, just wanting to leave now.

"No no no, stay. That is alright... we will just...-" One of the elves started saying as the older girl started getting out, not wanting to be a bother and not wanting to force her out like this, that would be very rude of them but he didn't get to continue as the little girl suggested something. They met each other's gaze and nodded, approving of the idea, finding it suitable. There was a boulder separating the spring into two sections, so they should be alright on the other side. "Sounds good to us..." One of them said with a chuckle and gestured for the others to follow him, starting for the other side, of course still blushing.

"Oh dear lord..." One of the elves uttered as he followed the rest, to which the elk turned his head and made a sound which almost said 'what?'. The elf noticed and chuckled. "Sorry, not you." Then moved faster to catch up with the others. They all made sure to not look at the girls, then stripped and jumped into the deeper water on the other side, some of them moving to the boulder to sit at its bottom, while the others stayed at the other side, sitting in the water, enjoying the warmth and its soothing qualities. They relaxed and started up chatting again about today's hunt. Although, the mood was still clearly tense due to the extra company and the situation they were in.

Rosa groaned but sat at the water's edge. This was not what she had in mind when she planned to come here to relax. If anything she was tenser than when she started. She sighed before letting herself slip back into the water, placing the cloth at the side of the water so if she wanted she could easily get it again if needed.

Lilly smiled, seeing her sister had given in, then moved back to her sister's lap, placing her own cloth back next to hers.

Rosa sighed and started to work on her hair again. This reminded Lilly of her earlier thought.

"Hey, elves. Would you ever want to get your hair done like ours?" She asked curiously. Just because there was a boulder didn't mean they couldn't socialize with them.

Rosa twitched. There goes pretending they were still alone.

The elves really couldn't help but chuckle at the little girl's inquiry, all of them meeting the others' gaze. Such adorable child. Of course, they all nodded to each other, deciding to play along.

"Well, depends on your skills. What can you do?" One of them asked, turning his head towards the boulder for a moment while the others just smiled, some of them rolling their eyes, others gesturing for him to keep quiet, wanting to enjoy their stay instead and chat without interruptions but most had no problem in chatting with the little girl. That could be as amusing as any other.

Lilly giggled as someone finally replied. This was a lot like talking on the phone.

"Well, we twist our hair into locks. Not sure why they are called that. Maybe because they are locked in the same shape for a long time." She said, looking at her hair curiously, then giggled. "It hurts, though. Maybe you wouldn't be able to handle it." She said, teasing a bit.

Rosa rolled her eyes at her sister, though, she was probably right. The elves probably couldn't handle it. Their hair seemed to be always held loose or completely free. Elven women seemed to have more designs but they were nothing like the twisted locks the ent people had.

The elves smiled again and chuckled, then the same elf called back to her.

"Why do you carry your hair like that if it hurts? Didn't you ever think of changing styles?" He asked, which caused a few elves to murmur again, some of them betting they could take this style she was talking about, while the others weren't so sure but kept silent about it.

Lilly thought for a moment before looking at Rosa.

The older girl sighed and shook her head at her sister but decided to explain, as she was asked.

"It is tribute to our ancestors. Originally our hair was like vines. The aftereffect of it being branches of a tree. It took many generations before our hair became more like normal hair but even then we continued the same style. Just tradition, really. Besides, any other style doesn't work as well with our hair. It is very different from human or elvish hair." She explained for her sister.

"What she said." Lilly said with a giggle. "So do any of you want to try it?"

"Well, how do you know that it wouldn't work with your hair? Have you tried? There are different styles for our own." He suggested with a shrug, now half of the group starting up another conversation about tomorrow's activities, the other part slowly starting to gain interest in that too, the elf she was talking to also started to listen to them instead, chuckling when one of them said something funny. Hair didn't seem to be something the elves found interest in speaking about.

"Well... Here hold on I'll show you." Lilly said and mumbled something to her sister. Rosa raised a brow at this but did as requested. A little while later Lilly jumped out wrapping the towel around herself then climbed up on top of the bolder. Her hair was down and they could see what she meant by different. It fluffed out now that it wasn't in its locks. "What other style do you think would work with this naturally?" She asked with a smirk, looking down at them.

They didn't expect for the girl to pop up there but frowned at the noise that came from the boulder before they heard her speak. The hunters all gasped in shock and some of them sank deeper into the water, others tried to cover themselves, blushing. They knew she was still a little girl but it was worse because of that. Children should not see such things like this and especially they shouldn't see children in... this small clothing.

"Well... of course it looks like that now that it was in locks... But maybe if you... worked to brush it out..." One of them said who actually looked at her hair, the others just simply nodded in agreement but didn't look, trusting the judgment of their comrade.

Rosa facepalmed.

"Lilly... Get down... Get down now." She ordered her sister, wondering if the little girl had forgotten the reason for the bloody bolder or if she even cared.

"You can brush it for hours. If anything that just makes it fluffier." The little girl replied, not seeming to notice. She thought for a moment on how best to explain it to them.

Rosa decided at this point to grab Lilly from behind to pull her down.

"Stay... down... here." She hissed at her before calling out. "It looks like this even out of locks. Our hair is very curly and made to handle harsh conditions. That's why if you feel it in comparison to most hair it is very... course. There are other styles and many of our kin do use them. The most common is a very short style. Also, back home some of our kind would go through a lot in order to get their hair like yours but... well it is unnatural and actually very harmful to our hair in the long run." She explained, making better sense of it all for them and making a point of keeping her sister on the other side of the spring in order to avoid her pulling the same stunt again.

"Fluffy hair." One of them snorted, which was followed by a few chuckles when the men started imagining someone with an all brushed out fluffy hair. Oh, the imagination of elves was quite colorful.

"I'd like to see fluffy hair." The same elf chuckled, then shook his head, a few more jokes were said about this before the subject was changed again and the hunters resumed their bath and relaxation.

Lilly continued to pull up random conversations to have with the elves on the other side, laughing and giggling all the while. She offered to do their hair if they ever wanted and was surprised as one actually agreed. All the while Rosa sat in silence, redoing her sister's hair. She did not have the same happy mood as her sister and no matter how much she wanted to... she just couldn't pull such a thing from herself. Once she finished her sister's hair she finally decided she had enough.

"I'm going home." She said, not giving her sister room to protest as she got up out of the water, grabbing the cloth and wrapping it around herself along with her things and just started back.

Lord watched as she left but he didn't budge from his spot. He didn't feel so bonded with her as with Lilly, so stayed in the water, enjoying the warmth until Lilly decided to leave.

* * *

 _Three days later_

 _-elsewhere-_

Three days.

It had been another three days and still the bloody wraith wasn't awake.

Hyano had never really seen the wraith do this before... The closest being his meditation. It worried her to no end. He wasn't dead that was for sure but he wasn't waking up either... He was... from what she could tell, asleep. All the energy in him wiped out he had actually fallen asleep. For likely the first time since he was a human. She wasn't sure how to take this though. It could mean progress but the fact he wasn't waking could be cause to worry. She was currently kneeling beside him. She gave him a gentle shove, trying to wake him up yet again. She didn't expect it to work any better than the many other times she had tried but that hardly stopped her from trying all the same.

This time however it was a little different.

The moment she shoved him, the wraith actually reacted this time. But not the nice way... As soon as her hand touched him, he suddenly lashed out with his own hand to clutch hers in a tight grip, before pushing against the ground and flipping her back, with him being on top and moved her arm above her head, raising his other gauntleted hand next to his head with an open palm, ready to deliver a clawing blow. However, the moment he was in position and his hand moved to execute the kill, he stopped, just staring at her motionlessly. He didn't say anything, he didn't move, just watched her, as if something stopped him before he made something foolish, or... as if he just realized something. After a while he looked up and started looking around as if disoriented.

Hyano gasped as she was flipped, then her eyes widened. If he had actually done it... he might have gotten away with killing her, seeing as she had no real time to think. However he just... stopped. She blinked up at him before calling out cautiously.

"Ren?" She didn't struggle against his grip. She probably should, considering he could rightfully change his mind if he wanted to but... she didn't think she was in danger. Something else was going on.

The wraith's head moved to face her when he heard his name and stared at her a little more before starting to lower his hand but only slowly, as if he wasn't yet sure that it was safe to let his guard down. Soon enough, he looked down to notice their position and leaned to the side, sitting beside her, releasing her hand from his tight grip, staring at the ground before looking around. It was obvious he wasn't sure where he was or didn't believe it...

Hyano sat up, looked at him and moved so she was kneeling in front of him.

"Ren... It is alright... I'm here." She tried to assure, not sure how comforting these words really were considering everything. Only a few days ago he was cursing her name and all the trust he had put into her. She reached out a hand to touch his gauntlet. He seemed so... confused. Like was he was lost. She didn't like seeing him like this. She had always gone to him for the answers when she was younger. To see him without any was... unnerving.

The wraith looked at her again briefly then averted his gaze to survey his environment.

"I was somewhere else..." He finally said, looking around again as if to make sure that he truly was here in this cave. "There were elves... They were cornering me..." He told her, still looking around, then finally looked back at her. "I wanted to fight but... my hands didn't move..." He said and lifted his hands to see them moving now. He didn't understand.

Hyano blinked as he explained himself. She then thought it over before smiling.

What truly seemed to happen was that the wraith, after many thousands of years actually had a dream. Well, a bad dream. But still a dream and he didn't understand what it was. He thought it was real.

"You had a dream... Or rather a nightmare. You fell asleep and while your body didn't work your mind continued to work. It created the vision you had. It normally is a result of worries and thoughts one had before they fell asleep... It isn't much of a surprise your dream was what it was." She explained to him calmly. He had a dream. She was surprised yet pleased. This was a good thing.

The wraith looked at her, tilting his head to the side at the explanation.

"No... I was there. I saw it... I felt it. I heard them talking... They almost stabbed me... But my hands didn't move. Now they can... and I am here." He finished, looking down at his hands, not understanding why. As usual, he didn't want to believe in such things which he never felt or seen. "Strange..." He concluded, then looked at her. "And annoying." He huffed and crossed his arms, pouting. He should have been able to beat those elves if he could just move his hands...

Hyano blinked at this reaction before she started to giggle lightly.

"It has been a long time since you had a dream so you lack any control. As you have more of them you will learn to control what happens and what you can do." She assured, though, she was sure he wouldn't believe her until he had experienced this several more times. If it was possible. It might be that this extreme loss of power generated this... standby mode for the Nazgul. Even if he went through all this many times he might still deny believing her for a while after that. Simply a stubborn wraith. Well... mostly anyway.

Of course, as she predicted, the wraith refused to believe it all and passed it as a moment of his mind messing with him because of this... lighter magic being infused with his spectral form instead of the darker one. He wanted to note it, turned his head towards her and was about to make a smart remark when he noticed something...

She was... wounded.

The one that stood out to him was the wound on her neck. It was bruised, it still had some dried blood on it. He could still smell the blood. He tilted his head to the side and reached out towards her neck with curiosity.

"What happened? Who did this?" He asked, almost demanding this from her. Was she attacked? Who attacked her? Why didn't he notice? He seemed to forget their current situation, the argument and he obviously didn't remember the fight between them three days ago. Instead he acted as protective and possessive as he did before everything.

Hyano blinked slightly as he showed his usual protectiveness for her and despite what he had done to her she didn't flinch away from his touch. She probably should. Anyone else would be scarred for life thanks to what he had done. However, she was not like most. She caught his gauntlet. She debated on lying but thought there was no need for that.

"You tried to kill me. You went into a rage and tried to kill me. It took surrounding myself in fire after wiping us both out of energy. That is why you passed out for the past three days." She explained to him, looking away. he wasn't certain what his reaction will be. Did she just trigger this memory? Will he start attacking again, remembering why he was angry? Deep down, she honestly wanted his old self back, before all this trouble. But for this, he needed to trust her. Wraiths, however... don't trust so easily.

Ren looked at her hand when she caught his gauntlet, unsure what to think of it. Maybe she fears that he will aggravate the wound? He does have quite sharp gauntlets. His gaze returned to her when she explained what had happened in the past three days and stared at her wordlessly. Slowly, the happenings of the week came back to him finally, the argument they had, the betrayal... the hurt pride and the goal of making him to the pet of those disgusting creatures. He pulled his hand back from her, staring at the gauntlet, now finding traces of her blood and skin on it, which was the proof.

Well, he didn't know what to think.

That he should be glad he didn't end up killing her so he can remember it when he does it later... or to be disappointed because he didn't succeed. His thoughts and previous intentions came back flooding. His brief protective instinct was drowned by the knowledge of what she is doing to him. Even now. Yet... something held him back from trying again. He didn't know what it was but he wasn't in the mood to fight, neither did he find the idea of ending her to be suitable. There was something... Some words he was hearing... Ever so faint...

' _The strings are attached... My voice shudders the thread..._ '

With him imprisoned, he will not be able to fulfill his purpose... He needed to use her to get out... Instead the need to sway her back to his side seemed to gain more favor from him.

So, living up to these thoughts, the wraith wordlessly reached out and grasped her the way he did on top of Moria after they reassured each other of their mutual support and let her sit in his lap, his arms falling to rest on his knees, almost keeping her in a protective embrace. The more time he spent thinking on it, the more he realized that if he killed her, he will die too. And even if it wasn't that way and he managed to escape he would be caught sooner than he could think and would be alone without allies. She was still under his influence, she likes it or not... And if he gave up now and ended his own existence... what kind of terrifying Nazgul was he? What would his Lord say if he saw him then? He wanted him proud and satisfied with his progress. Because he still deep down knew he will return one day.

The will of his Master commanded him. And for this, he will use any tools he could find.

Hyano had honestly expected him to try and kill her again. To try and destroy her again but instead... Instead he pulled her into his arms. He held her. Her eyes widened before like at Moria she curled into his embrace enjoying the feeling of being in his arms and not under attack.

"... Ren... Please listen this time. I didn't betray you. I only had so much time to come up with a plan to keep you alive. Gandalf wanted to sever the connection and he still does... I was short on options and my magic is little good here. There is not enough darkness here and we don't know the lands... This was the best solution I could come up with to assure that you stayed alive... I knew you wouldn't like it but..." She looked down sadly, curled into him.

"Corrupt the connection." The wraith simply said, not looking at her but staring ahead. He didn't know it but thanks to the lighter magic now flowing through his spectral form he was able to actually see beyond pride this time... And see far more clearly than he had. Not clear enough but at least he was able to think. "Do not complete it. I will play my part and you will play yours. Then when they don't look... we get away from here..." He knew this plan was risky. He didn't know what kind of effect this change should have on him but he can... be a little more tolerating towards the wizard and the elves. Just a little. Play the obedient pet until the time comes when they can make a run for it. For now, he had to admit that the only way out is acting. Then fleeing. Despite how it might hurt his pride. It will be broken... to thousand pieces at that... But it can be mended once he takes over control.

This humiliation, this blasphemy will be paid back thousand times when they stare up at him in chains, begging for mercy before he makes his decision for their eternal suffering.

"Ren... believe it or not the connection isn't even half shifted to light." Hyano told him honestly. The effect that shifting the connection had on him had surprised her but it surprised her even more when she realized how little the connection had truly been shifted. The amount of light magic it really took to cause... all this. "I was afraid if I did too much, I might just kill you on the spot. I haven't increased or changed anything for the past four days." She added, looking up at him with a frown. She had knowledge in both light magic -thanks to her heritage- and dark magic -which can be thanked to Ren-, so knew approximately what kind of changes must have been occurring. This... has over exceeded her calculations. Which meant... something was wrong... By the looks of things, everything should do as it needed to. It seemed the balance she had created was shifting him with very little help on her part.

"But he wants it all to affect me in a way that would change my ways." The Nazgul whispered, suspecting the White is listening in on their conversation if he kept it too loud. "He wants it completed." He added, turning his head slightly but didn't look down, instead kept his gaze forward. "You said in two weeks they want progress. Then I will give them progress. I will play the 'nnnnniiiiceeee' wraith until the time comes when you are ready. Then we vanish from here." He said, now being more specific on what he meant. He didn't want her to alter the connection as much as the White would want her to, neither did he want her to finish what she started. Instead he will swallow his pride and humble himself in order to escape... And then later... he will get back to them for all the suffering... They will suffer ten times by his hand. It is a large step for him to make, from the stubborn desperate grasp on his pride to sacrificing it for his own good. The other reason for it besides the lighter magic in him was that he started to remember the fight they just had and realized her power once again. One tends to forget the other's power if it wasn't displayed to them sometimes. He had to be reminded just how valuable her services are to him and that with her on his side he truly can succeed with his plans. Her power aids him... and no one else.

The orange wizard looked down and nodded.

"You do realize... that until the change becomes physical Gandalf is not going to even come close to believing you or your act." She told him honestly. Gandalf was not a fool. If Ren wanted to pull this off, just acting would not be enough. He would have to look the part. Hyano had a feeling they didn't have long to wait, though. He had already changed quite a bit, panting and sleeping. Just a little longer.

"What do you mean with 'physical'? Do you realize how any change to my current form would affect me as a disaster?" Ren asked, now looking down to stare at her, his voice now taking on a demanding tone. "The moment I would need to rely on living like any of you, I would die. Probably age beyond recognition or my body couldn't even sustain me any longer, used to the eternal silence. My form cannot change or I won't survive. I need to stay like this if I want to execute my plans." He explained, although they already had this talk when she tried to change him in the past at the tree house. Before he ran off, only to be found again. And well... Sauron's curse is very strong and normal magic shifting won't lift it. In addition, Ren didn't want the curse to go either. He was clutching onto it like anyone would onto a boat on the vast ocean. His existence depended on it.

"I thought of that and it isn't a complete shift Ren. It will only shift you enough to convince Gandalf. Trust me, Ren. I haven't been doing this blind. This will change your outsides but not your insides. Only enough so no one will know the difference. Besides... the ring won't let you die. Trust me... that thing will keep you alive because it needs you alive as much as you need it to live." She told him, remembering when this all started. The fight the ring gave her. It was dormant at the moment but she was sure if it sensed a threat to Ren's life it would eventually come back with a vengeance.

"You know I hate any changes made to my form... And I will not let it happen. Either you leave it alone... or else..." The dark creature trailed off, sounding as serious as he can sound in his still slightly dazed state. "I don't want to serve them against my current will. I don't want to end up being a true pet. I want my dignity intact even if my pride will have to be shattered. The rate of change shall not be complete. I myself will just... act as if." He still pressed on with this thought, afraid what would become of him if she changed him and his mind into something lighter. Afraid that this might be permanent. "After all... such a thing was never done before. How would he know that it isn't complete if none of my kind went through this?" He asked with a hiss, proud of his thoughts and logic.

Hyano raised a brow at him, wondering if he actually heard himself. She had already proven at this point that she was willing to do what it took to get what needed to be done accomplished. Even if it meant defying him. Also he was giving Gandalf far too little credit. Even without knowing how this would come out Gandalf was not so easily fooled. Ren was thinking more rationally now which was a serious improvement but there was a serious flaw in his logic. Mostly a personality flaw, really.

"I won't allow them to make a pet out of you. You aren't that unlucky. And even without knowing exactly what the results of this might be Gandalf will sense it if there is no real change. He is very wise and the moment he realizes something is off everything is done because this trick won't work twice."

The wraith listened to her words but didn't answer for a good minute. Instead he returned to stare forward, clearly pondering, his dark mind working on something. There was one thing that bothered him. One thing that held him back... And it bugged him... it nagged him... bit at him.

"Can I trust you that you will make the necessary steps when you know the time is right to undo the changes?" He asked, refusing to look at her. After all that happened he distrusted her of course, still finding that she betrayed him and still had trouble believing her. He only didn't fight and debate because he knew it won't do any good to him. She had the advantage in this cave... and besides, he needed to keep her loyalty to him. But then again... does he truly have it?

Hyano sighed at the question, then smiled and nodded.

"Yes. Although I doubt I will have to. As the darkness in this world increases, the ring will likely become active again on its own. But if it doesn't I will handle it. This change will not be permanent." She assured him. She knew there was no chance of this being a permanent change. Eventually nature would force him back. He had been a wraith for too long. It was just impossible at this point to completely reverse this fact.

"The last time you said I should trust you, we ended up in this prison... Where will we end up next?" The Nazgul asked, now facing her with the question he truly meant it as. He didn't care what nature did. It can die, all he cared. What he cared about was if he can trust her. She told him the last time what will happen. They would make it to the other side and the first chance she gets she would awaken him and they would be off. But that didn't happen then. Instead they landed right here. Even staying back at Middle-Earth and going down with it would have been better. At least he could have enjoyed the chaos of the last years, taken the world for himself in the last moment. Be the last to go down... "The ring is always active or else I wouldn't be talking to you. And if you know the change isn't permanent... Then so does the White. He wants you to keep the process of my change up."

"I told you I would do my best. I couldn't promise much more because I had no idea what I was getting into." The orange wizard pointed out to him. "And I won't be going it alone this time. You will be there with me, remember?" She added, not as worried as he was. She wouldn't be alone this time. If anything, he would be able to tell her later when enough was enough. He could have his hand in the planning. She trusted him with the decision making to a degree... when his pride wasn't an issue anyway. "As for Gandalf... that is something we will have to play by ear. He is... tricky and planning too far ahead with him doesn't work so well because you can't always be sure what he is thinking." She admitted.

"I won't be there completely to aid you. That won't be truly me. If I am to change, so will my mind. I might tell you to keep going. I might tell you to support their cause... I might tell you to promise me to keep me the way I will be... Do NOT listen to me." The creature of darkness warned and tightened his grip on her as if to emphasize what he just said and urge her into agreeing. "You might be still on your own and my fate once again will be in your hands. Do not disappoint me again. Think quickly and prepare yourself for every situation. I give at most two weeks after we are free. Then I want you to stop the process and we shall make a move." He pressed on, wanting to put more effort into planning this time. He realized their mistake was the last time that he didn't talk to her about the actions that she might need to make in order to succeed.

Hyano blinked. Well she had not thought of that. What if he did ask her to not turn him back? She thought this over but shook it off. There was no way that would happen. And even if it did... eventually she would have to turn him back to keep him alive. If she left him in that state too long nature would try to balance things out and if the darkness didn't push its way back out, the light might very well try to take over and in so doing kill him. She nodded.

"Yes, Ren. I understand." She replied, looking up into his hood with a determined gaze, her green eyes seeking that never-ending darkness.

"Good." Was his only answer and loosened his grip on her a little, now letting her move if she wanted, stand if she so desired. Ren admitted defeat towards the change and knew even if he didn't want this just like for the past days, she would still go with it. This was her last test in his eyes. If she fails him again... then he will no more hesitate. She will die... Or he will remove himself from her closeness so both of them will perish in lack of magic. He had made his promise to himself now and he will not break it. Death surely wasn't so bad. If he thought about it... maybe the eternal slumber would be a relief from the stress of living in a dead form. Perhaps... mortality is truly a gift as the elves say...

Wait!

Where did that come from?

Of course it is a curse! No one would remember him, he wouldn't be able to be this strong, this feared, this terrifying. He can still act upon his will, have an impact on the world and its inhabitants. If he was a mortal, no one would even remember his name or that he existed. He would be forgotten forever, his existence would have been in vain. But not with immortality... People still utter his name in terror!

Hyano relaxed once he relaxed his grip on her. She cuddled up again in his lap, her head resting on his chest.

"I'm glad you are at least talking to me again... I didn't like that silent treatment you were giving me for a while there." She admitted. That had to have been the most unnerving thing she had to go through with Ren. Having him so angry with her that he refused to even notice her presence, having him want to kill her had felt more normal than that, though, she very much wouldn't want to go through that again either.

Much to her dismay there was no reply from him. The wraith didn't feel like talking but wanted to deal with this damage to his pride. He was thinking, pondering and planning, trying to think of everything before they execute their plans. This time he wanted everything to go smoothly where improvising won't be needed. He had to think of every possible scenario and their solutions, what the White might want from them, what the elves might make them do... They surely won't just tolerate him... They want him useful... they want him to be studied and a cure found for his state... They would want to kill them... Knowing the elves and their tricks, they surely would only need to find an excuse to be rid of him and press the White towards destroying him. He can't let that happen... However in his far more tolerating and surely all too will-less state, he won't be able to think straight or think for his own good. This is where Hyano will come in. She will have to watch out for him...

Hyano sighed relaxing a bit. Then a thought crossed her mind before she looked up at him.

"Ren. When I change you back, do you want me to leave some light in it?" She questioned, sure he would be confused by the question but she felt she should ask anyway. "After the initial shock of it you started thinking more... clearly than I have seen. It might not make the ring too happy but it will improve your thought process and may prove useful in the long run." She explained more to him and sat back waiting on his reply.

Indeed, the moment she said that, the thinking wraith's head snapped down, looking at her sharply, not sure what to think of her offer. He tilted his head to the side in confusion and curiosity, more than sure that she will explain her idea more to him. She surely knows his reactions and body language by now. As he expected, she started to explain, to which he listened to carefully, then looked up, staring at the wall of the cave. Was he really thinking clearly? Or is this one way she wants this whole thing to be permanent? Well... Thinking is good, right? It would help him plan ahead and make better tactics, see rationally and make the right decisions...

Wait! What? Did he just really consider her idea? Did he just really consider... even just a little thought about leaving light within the darkness? This change was doing this to him...

"No." He said curtly, not looking at her, blaming the change in their connection for his change of mind and ways of thinking. "Remember my old self and what I would want. I want nothing remaining from this... outrageous crime against myself... and my dignity." He spat, finding this whole change as bad as it sounded. He didn't want it... but in order to survive for now he had to tolerate it... Just a few weeks... Two weeks... Nothing more...

Hyano raised a brow at this, wondering if he was making the choice because he thought it was right or because he wanted to defy the light in him. She shrugged it off, though. They would find out later on. He would surely think the same way as he shifted back and once he had gone through the whole change he would likely decide more clearly then. She nodded.

"Alright. I will remember." She replied. Two weeks. She doubted things would go quite that smoothly but she would keep that in mind.

Two weeks from when they finish the shift then she would work to shift him back.

That was going to be interesting.

* * *

 _-back at the city-_

Rosa had started working again, finding that doing something helped her relax.

Her family took up finding some kind of tasks in the elven community to make themselves useful for them. Although it was their right to have their own home and receive food from the distributions as people of the community... they still wanted to repay their kindness. Every elf had their own tasks... so now they decided to join in and be full-fledged members of their society.

Will and Holly decided to give the elves a taste of herder food. They found it spicy but it was a nice change. They now think they might open something like a restaurant, where they cook herder food for everyone. Lilly and Cane would help at the kitchen or by taking up orders while the parents cook and prepare the food.

Rosa on the other hand decided to keep her job at the elven seamstress. She taught her well and showed her touches on the fabric that no man ever knew about. She liked what she created, so volunteered to work by her side.

Right now, she was sitting in the home of her teacher, sipping a relaxing tea as they talked about their busy day and about the recent developments in her life. Back then when she first came to this world, all she wanted to do was go back home. Now... she found her past complaints foolish and childish. This did not mean she did not miss Middle-Earth... or the few friends she had, her relatives... but... This was her life now.

With all its good and bad sides of it.

Rosa was about to say something when a sound caught her attention. It was faint. It was rhythmic and catchy. Also, quite familiar. She blinked, then reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

' _How in Middle-Earth is this stupid thing even still working?_ ' Was the first thought that popped to her mind as she noticed she had a text message.

Strange. Did a message that was sent to her before they came here just now arrive or did it start to act up? She couldn't even charge the thing here after all.

The moment the sound started to play, the elven woman frowned and looked at her strangely. Her keen ears were quick to spot the source of the sound and wondered just how she could make music without actually... making it. She was just sitting there, wasn't she? She raised an eyebrow when she noticed the small device and couldn't help but watch it, tilting her head to the side slightly, trying to find out what it is. Strange thing... She never saw anything like that. She was sure that she didn't need to ask, she surely will notice her curiosity and tell her what it was.

It took Rosa a moment to notice she was being looked at. She looked towards her mentor.

"Oh, sorry. This is a device from back home. It was made to make talking to those far away easier. I only brought it with me since I had a few pictures inside that I wanted to keep but... I guess it still works even here... I got a message from back home." She explained, though, she was slightly distracted. This was... a miracle... How in the world is she getting messages from Middle-Earth? This was a different dimension, no? Or was it? "... My cousin doesn't think I will get this, so he is just sending the message as more like... a journal entry... He says that a war has started back home... Everyone is scared. There have been threats to use weapons that can kill a lot of people..." She said, seeing the word bomb in there... She didn't think she could explain just how dangerous a bomb really was to the woman beside her but... If this really happened... Middle-Earth might not even exist in the near future.

The woman still stared at the thing confused, tilting her head the other side, finding it strange. Helps talking from far distances? She was of course smart enough to know that the person who sent this message wasn't here but somewhere far away. Unlike Ren who always thought they were within it.

"Strange... but surely useful." She replied and leaned a little closer to look at it. "But still... I find writing a letter more convenient. Mainly because seeing the handwriting gives the comfort one needs, almost picturing the one who wrote the letter... and the fact that they took the time to write it and send it... then wait for the reply patiently. "Her smile only appeared for a moment before the subject about a war came up. "It is true then what the istari tell us all. The worlds are never destroyed by the Valar to make room for the next... The ones who live on it cause their own demise. Then the next world blooms... and the whole process of death and rebirth repeats."

"... If what he says is true... I am not sure a new world will be able to bloom there." Rosa said, her voice sad. "... Back home our leaders... well... many of them anyway, have created a weapon that kills many. It explodes and... The worst part is it sucks away the life from the earth itself. Destroys it and makes it so you can't even walk the land without risking death... Hyano said that she lived through the time they were testing this weapon and saw what it could do for herself. She said it was scarier than any magic she had ever seen." She said, gripping the phone. "... We could all be in a lot of trouble. Even here." She added, honestly.

"But this is how the circle closes." The woman added, nodding at her reply, finding it informative and correct, yet she missed something. "The races in Middle-Earth destroy themselves and their world right with it, leaving but a barren surface. But life always finds a way. Be it big or small but it starts to awaken by itself. Once the first flicker of life appears, the work of the istari and elves start. We help this flicker to brighten and spread like wildfire." She smiled and put her tea down, her eyes now meeting that of the young girl's. "Trust me, what they are doing there has no effect on our peaceful world. All worlds are separated in a different magical plane. You came here with the help of magic and can only leave it by such."

The herder girl looked at her, then nodded before looking at her phone again, debating on what to do. She could not ignore this. Sure, she might end up working herself up on this and might grow disappointed with what she could do but... she had to try and see if there was anything that might help.

There was only one person she could turn to now...

"Would you like more tea?" The elleth asked her, watching her carefully as she offered but something told her the girl was too occupied to even hear her. She could see the determination radiate off of her and knew what her answer will be.

"I would like that very much... but... I need to go find Gandalf now. I know only my family agreed to come here but... I think knowing what I know it would be wrong not to at least try and save more of my kin. It might be too late but... it can't hurt to try right?" She said, her mind now relaxed and was able to focus on the problem back on Middle-Earth. There were good people there. They didn't all deserve to die. She knew the majority of her kin would say no out of respect for tradition. The need to stay and protect the trees and the earth until there was nothing left to protect would keep them there but she knew there were also those who may take the offer if it was given.

The elf smiled at her, although it wasn't that cheerful one she always gave her. She understood her worry but it was clear that she doubted they can make contact with the dying world of Middle-Earth any longer. It all stands in the favor of the Valar. They might think that evil in the mean time would have recognized its situation and a last spark might make it here with the people who flee in the last second.

"Alright then. Go and speak to the White. But know this... Sometimes everything has its own way of happening and sometimes we have to accept that this is all that the world wishes for us to have. We aren't truly in control of our fate." She said, then said her goodbye with a nod and resumed the preparations for dinner.

The herder girl nodded, agreeing to a degree. Before leaving she stopped, then turned and gave the woman a hug.

"Thank you for everything." She said, then ran off to go find the White wizard. It was strange not going straight to Hyano with her problems. It had become the norm for her culture. However the orange wizard was still out of commission and likely would be for a while yet. Part of her wondered how that was going. Was there really any hope for that thing she called a friend? Even she didn't think so but she would not voice this thought. That would be disrespectful to the istar. Besides... it seemed like Hyano needed the hope.

* * *

The White wizard whom she was looking for was right now sitting cross-legged close to the hole in the ground, a pipe smoking in his hand as he concentrated on one spot in the distance, clearly in deep thought, shutting the world out for a change, pondering over the problem the younger wizard faced not long ago and what effects it might have on their relationship. Deep down he hoped she would lose her trust in the wraith and let them handle this the way he knew was far safer... Just looking for someone he can tie them to instead of being bound to each other. Because really... no matter how and what a progress she was going to make, he will never truly trust that dark creature and he still would slowly corrupt this world. Something he cannot let happen. He would not handle him like a friend, neither could he look at him differently than a Nazgul. He was still a cursed being, dark and fearless, emotionless killing machine who was only waiting for the whispers of his Lord to try to take over the world. The White wizard was certain that if he got the command, he would murder the orange istar without a second thought, disregarding the time they spent together. He wondered if Hyano had the experience and wisdom to know of this possibility. He was afraid for Hyano's life... What is that Nazgul turned on her suddenly later, like now? What if he kills her? He sighed and shook his head with a hum.

It took Rosa a long time to find the White wizard and in the end she had only found him because she started looking for Hyano. Hyano was not a herder but because the herders knew her so well they had her scent memorized for if they ever needed to find her in desperate times. Rosa saw the wizard and quietly stepped up to him.

"Gandalf? Sir? I'm sorry if I am interrupting but I need to talk to you." She said, knowing that even when an istar didn't look like they were doing something they often were. Her eyes glanced down into the hole for a moment and saw Hyano... She was sitting cross-legged in a meditating position while the wraith was nowhere to be seen, probably hid away somewhere. Even without having seen what happened herself she could tell there was a fight. The blood on Hyano's neck was enough to say that. "Is she alright?" She couldn't help but ask.

The wizard's eyes moved, blinking once when he heard the steps coming closer but did not turn his head, instead hummed a little and kept his eyes forward at the horizon. He nodded once when she said his name, greeting her, before resuming his thinking halfway, while another half of his mind concentrated on her.

"That is alright. Time is plenty." He uttered, speaking a little slower than usual and it was clear that he is not fully here but was pondering or concentrating on something, then raised the end of the pipe to his mouth when she asked about the wizard who was now asleep. "Oh, she is alright." Gandalf said and finally looked down, taking a good view of the two. He caught a glimpse of the darker creature in a small dent he dug in the wall. "She is one of the most stubborn, persistent and insolent wizards that I came across. Even if the Valar wanted her to she still wouldn't die. Just a little brawl, nothing more."

Rosa relaxed a little at these words before sitting down beside him. She looked down at the sleeping woman before turning her eyes to the White wizard.

"I got a message from back home..." She started but paused after, watching as Gandalf's gaze grew more focused on her. "Middle-Earth, I mean. It seems a war has broken out... and people are threatening destruction... I was just wondering... Is there any way to save anyone from back home?" She asked, thinking she might as well jump into it. Best to get the question gone and out of the way now. Besides, the worst the wizard could say was no. She would be disappointed and saddened by this news but... she would take it all the same.

"A message from Middle-Earth?" The wizard murmured to himself, a frown appearing on his expression and slowly but surely turned his blue gaze and head towards the herder girl. "How did you get a message from Middle-Earth?" He asked, unsure how this was even possible. Even he, a wizard, was unable to build up contact, which was mainly due to his never-ending duties on this world but it if were possible to set up connection... he should have been able to sense it... So how did she do it?

Rosa began fidgeting with her hands, unsure if she should tell him her means of communication. Hyano told them strictly to not bring anything from Middle-Earth. They didn't have spare clothes, no weapons, no luxury items, none of her stamp collection... They could be a danger to the people in this world, especially where this world was so young. The warning was clear and maybe... she did not listen to it properly...

Gandalf looked at her sheepish expressions for a few more seconds before simply turning his eyes back to the horizon, giving a short hum at the words. It doesn't matter in the end.

"Seems like the Valar finally get what they want. The world's destruction is in progress. The creatures destroy themselves... and every trace of their existence." The White wizard said, then sighed, knowing that she simply had that deep need to protect her own kin. The bond of the family never vanished through the generations and the development they have gone through. "You see... there is an order of how a world is destroyed and how the new one becomes untouched by darkness." He started, from his tone it was obvious that he will not stop right here but decided to explain it to her in detail. "The downfall of a world is sensed by the light first, as they are more in sync with the magic and the delicate balance that goes with it. If that is disturbed, then it is time to move on. We already know the process, so know how and where to go. We are the first to leave, following the flow of magic. Once magic is gone, Mother Nature rules over the world and tries to maintain the delicate balance through her own power to compensate the loss of magic. If a world succeeds to stay alive after the take-over or not... it all depends on the creatures within it. You see, the downfall would be the beginning of a world that was finished by the Valar, by the istari and the elves... when the world is seen as ready to balance itself without magic. Magic is but a power that builds and maintains until a time comes when it isn't needed." He said and took the pipe to his mouth for a moment, then blew a smoke ring. "With us gone, nothing more remains than the creatures... and the darkness that still lurks about. Now, with the world ending, threatening to fall, the darkness itself is becoming desperate to flee and survive, so invades the soul of many, trying to find a way out... but in the process the corruption is greater and the destruction is sped up... In the current state Middle-Earth is in... darkness must have engulfed most... and we are afraid... that if we open the way for them to Outer-Earth and let your people in now... They might smuggle in things we are not ready to deal with... yet."

Rosa listened to his words keeping quiet for a moment, thinking this through. The elven woman told her about this already. The world they live in right now would one day be destroyed to make room for the next life in line. The fact that the Gods would go as far as just destroy things all over just to rebuild it looked to her like a game to them. Why would they destroy what they create? It didn't make sense.

"I'm sorry Gandalf but... that just sounds cruel to me." She said bluntly, not sure of any better way to put it. "You won't save others because you are afraid of the darkness getting in... but in a way you already let it in because darkness is fear itself. Distrust, hate, anger, disloyalty. These are all seeds for darkness... Reality is, darkness doesn't need a person to get here. It has been here for a long time and no one has noticed it because it has been in the background like a shadow. I know I'm no istar but... I'm not foolish enough to believe this place is half as pure as it seems. It just doesn't show what is really there like it does back home." She told him, her kind's natural bluntness showing itself.

The White didn't take her words as offending of course but as usual, she is not experienced in the field of creation and the degree of purity a land can retain through maintenance.

"Those are but normal qualities of a natural creation, a pure being can feel all this, even elves do with their pure soul. But it doesn't make them evil. It makes them... alive." He whispered. "What I am talking about is pure, cursed and murderous darkness, which carries the disease of destruction. So thick, like the fumes of a terrible volcano and darker than the moonless night. You shudder at its mere presence and can die by a single touch." He said and took a sip from his pipe, closing his eyes, feeling how it calmed him and eased the memories of old. "That darkness is now clutching the heart of all on Middle-Earth. A part of it. The more manages to find this place... the darker it will be. This is... what _he_ wants."

Rosa looked down, frowning at his last sentence but decided to look past it and nodded.

"... If you are sure... I was not asking to save many anyway... I know most would say no anyway... My kind is just too stubborn to leave. But... it would be wrong to not at least try... Kind of like Hyano and her friend... She has a lost cause down there too but... she refuses to give up. Not really sure why since no one else seems to believe in her but... she does what she thinks is right anyway." She said, having some admiration for the determined wizard below. To go against everything and everyone and do what one think is right takes a lot. Her people did it before and had done it several times since.

"Just a few is enough to plant the seed..." The istar trailed off, raising his gaze to look at the sky, the clouds now starting to gather. There will be rain tonight. He smelled and could feel the approach of the stormclouds. "But I will say a few words about this to the council once we gather again. I am not promising anything, though. Not one can vote it down to let this pass and save a few more. Sometimes... the safety of one group is more important than a dying one. Not because of fear... not because of greed but because it is how fate and destiny works. One has to learn to let go and accept the way of the Valar. Because the downfall isn't the end. But a new beginning and the dawn of a new world." He said, giving her a weak but understanding smile. He himself found it hard to just sit around and watch the world he worked on for so long to die without stepping in to help it right itself. No... He had to accept this. This was the way life worked. If they stopped this... so many creatures would have no opportunity to flourish and be on the stage of life's show.

The young woman smiled a bit and nodded.

"Alright... Thank you for trying all the same." She said before noting the turn of the weather and stood up. Part of her worried for the individuals in the cave, quite sure they were about to get wet but decided better of it. Getting wet was really the least of their worries at this point from what she could tell. "You should get some rest first, though. I have a feeling you haven't slept in a long time." She said, knowing that when Hyano was worried she had a habit of staying up for very long periods of time. Sometimes going into a month depending on the subject. No human could manage such a thing but then again she was no human and it was hard for a being like them to rest when their mind was running a mile a minute. It was near if not completely impossible.

The wizard nodded at her gratefulness, smiling, then returned to his pipe, blowing smokes in a shape of a horse, then a few more and used a little magic to make them rear up and start running up towards the sky.

"The council will be a little later. And I am resting right now. There is no better place to rest than where you can watch the sun going down and up. The view is fantastic. I should come here more often." He chuckled, then lowered his gaze to the pair before resting his blue eyes upon the horizon.

Rosa smiled and decided not to question it. It was easy to see doing so would do little to help him anyway.

"Good night to you then, Gandalf." She said, bowing her head then turned to leave. Hyano had spoken of the council long ago but she had also said there were only 2 istari left. Who else was he waiting for then? She shook her head, thinking she was better off not getting into it. She would find it out in the future if needed.

Once the herder girl left, the White wizard's blue eyes lowered to her disappearing form, then turned his attention back to those below him. He could hear the faint thunderclaps in the distance. It will bring fresh water and scents from faraway lands. It will wash away the dirt and the dust and might get rid of his fatigue.

Despite their quick talk, Gandalf knew he had to give this matter more thought. He didn't understand how she could get that message. They are cut from Middle-Earth and only the combined effort of wizards and mages could establish some kind of connection. This was impossible... Unless... Unless the Valar had a hand in it.

"Now this is an interesting thought..." He murmured to himself silently, his teeth finding the pipe's end and stared ahead of himself into the hole, yet he saw nothing as his mind was elsewhere. The Council between istari will be in a couple of weeks. Until then... he had to untangle this puzzle.

The Valar never speak to them directly. They do not give direct orders. They are like shepherds to the sheep. The sheep cannot understand their words but just one subtle gesture and one faint sound was enough for the herd to follow.

Now he just had to find out if this was a gesture...

* * *

 **Better get ready for the next chapter in two weeks!**

 **The schedule is back properly, no more delays.**

 _CA Productions_


	9. A lesson to be Learned

**Enjoy!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 9 - A lesson to be Learned

 _\- at the cave -_

She didn't know how long she could take this all in this silence. There was nothing she could do. No books to read, no tools to create art or new potions, no patient enough being to play any games with. She wasn't used to such restrictions but here it was now... They barely spent some day in the cave but the wizard was already starting to grow restless. She was an istar, she needed to be on the move, to see the world, to discover... Oh and also take over the world with her undead companion. She almost forgot that small detail.

The orange wizard knew Ren was still angry at her for not taking action and letting him be locked in again with no way to escape. She heard him talk about the seemingly endless years he spent just shouting and trying to break from his prison. He didn't want to go back into chains again. It was clear as day. He was agitated, even if he was doing a good job in staying relatively calm in the outside. But there were those small twitches, the smallest sound of anger and the hasty fiddling of his fingers... The wraith did not communicate with words. She learned it in her years of keeping him company. There was a specific series of gestures, movements and sounds bound to any thoughts that went through his mind.

Of course, the Nazgul was too proud to acknowledge his own desperation to walk free again.

But it was there and she felt herself grow more annoyed at this. He didn't understand that she had no choice. It was this or the Void and she had no trouble to choose to follow her istar nature to survive. Despite their goal, she rather lives another day to try again.

But that stubborn son of a warg would kill himself first before he could take a step in this new world.

Hyano was lying on the cave floor, her eyes staring up into the vast sea of stars as she pondered. She was thankful this place lacked ceilings. She could at least enjoy something beside Ren's insanity with it like this. She absentmindedly pointed a finger at the sky and started to move it up and down along the lines of the constellations she was taught, not paying attention to her surroundings and more importantly the wraith in the cave with her.

For once, Ren had been sitting quietly, having pulled back from the annoying lights of the torches into his slightly darker little space, his solace and hideout from the magic. There was not much to do, either way. He already tried to get rid of the torches, climb out of his prison or even push the rocks at the entrance away...

None of this worked.

And ever since their talk, Ren has attempted to lay low and show as little movement as possible, seeming calm and yet he was boiling inside. In the end, the wraith was forced to move, if even only using his hand to draw shapes into the loose dirt in front of him, poking it and watching the trails and traces his fingers left. It was entertaining enough for a while, such simple things could draw a Nazgul's attention when not in use by a greater power... However, Ren's hooded head moved and gazed at the wizard once he saw some kind of movement from her direction and tilted his head to the side at her pointless activity of holding her arm up. He stared at her for a while, turning his head but eventually he could not take the cluelessness any longer. He stood up, letting the dirt fall from his cloak and leisurely walked over towards the center where Hyano was lying and looked at her fingers closer.

Hyano noticed him come into her field of vision and looked at him before smiling slightly, looking up and continued to do as she had before.

"Pretty, aren't they?" She asked him, nodding towards the sky above. Her finger was tracing from one star to the next. She mentally was creating star patterns. A nice way to pass the time that she had picked up as a little girl from Asteri, the star istar. She was sure all the wizards did this by now, though. They all loved to think of the space beyond here, though, Asteri was the only wizard to make it his life's work.

Pretty... Ren heard her say this in the past. She described objects or actions that suited her taste or entertained her just by looking at it. It was kind of a strange concept. By her description, anything that was shiny and attracted his vision would be counted as 'pretty' for him. He still did not fully understand the meaning behind this but he did not want to engulf himself into useless thoughts he could not quite grasp anyway.

The wraith instead hissed and looked up this time, folling her gesture upwards, tilting his hooded head to the side, letting his invisible gaze travel the hole that was above them and the darkness that greeted him from afar. At this point he wasn't exactly sure if she was sane. Though, he had to accept that the female would use her mind to draw or see images that were not there from time to time to pass the time or to look for a reason to argue with him -in his opinion at least. Showing some confusion, the Nazgul simply averted his gaze from the sky and looked at her, tilting his head to the side before looking back, trying to see what she meant, stepping forward a bit as if that would give him a closer view, only to return to stare at her again.

Hmm... She must be in her useless state indeed.

Hyano noticed the head tilt and raised a brow back at him, her arm coming down to land on her stomach.

"... The stars... The little balls of light up there?" She asked, giving him a similar look of confusion. Well, if Ren had a look anyway. Hyano somehow could make out expressions out of the little movements he made. The way he would tilt his hood, his shoulder movements, the curve in his back or if he was puffing out his chest. He was quite expressive actually but it was with everything beside his face which most people just couldn't get a grip on. Hyano was just a mild exception.

Ren just stared at her.

If he would be capable of feeling dumbfounded, he would probably be plagued by it. But all he could do was be confused and annoyed, so looked back at where she claimed she saw those anomalies. He stepped closer to her as if that would give him a better view, seeing she was looking at them from almost the center.

"Where?" Was his question after a few minutes of observing the dark sky above. Ren apparently could not see the stars above, what he was only the darkness but that he saw clearly, along with all the tiny clouds that formed on it. But stars? Balls of Light? Those were a mystery to him, his senses being unable to comprehend their pure existence. "And why?" His usual inquiry also left his hood. Why in the Nine would there anything be? It was no use anyway... It would be too far up, no?

"... Up there?" Hyano half asked as she pointed up into the night sky and looked at him like he was the crazy one. Then again, one can argue they were both crazy. He, for obvious reasons. He was an evil ghost in a cloak who would run head-first into the first brick wall if it dared to 'look' at him the wrong way. Can't get much crazier, honestly. And she... well... she was mated to the evil ghost in a cloak... Not much better. "... Stars are... Well... They are suns, only much farther away, so they are very small when we see them here and don't really provide a lot of light." She said, trying to explain it to him as best she knew how.

Honestly, Ren tuned out everything she said after 'stars are suns'. From there on, he lost her train of thoughts and was not interested in everything else she tried to explain, although his mind got stuck there for the simple reason that he couldn't quite grasp how he would not be able to sense more suns on the sky than what there was during the daytime. If suns are truly shining from above... then why doesn't he grow weak? To him, anything else was tiny detail he did not need to know. Why bother with additional information if he will never use it in the first place? The Nazgul attempted to look more closely, tilting his hooded head and staring at the sky for longer but in the end he returned to stare at her with the very same tilt.

"Did you consume one of those liquids made of plants again?" He asked, meaning the alcohol or the sugary drinks she would drown back at Middle-Earth. Both of them tended to make her hallucinate, if not go mad for a short period of time, the wraith concluded. Not once she also mentioned mushrooms of which there is plenty of in this cave.

"Noooooo. Not since the last time." Hyano said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm telling you, Ren, they are there. Maybe your spectral vision just can't see them or something. I mean, it does hate light quite a bit." She offered with a shrug, trying to make sense of why her slightly taller friend couldn't see something that for her was plain as day. "That is too bad, though. They can be quite useful." She added as she turned her eyes back up to the stars again.

"Your view of 'useful' is questionable." Ren simply replied, not thinking it could even be called remotely useful. As far as he knew, just because something is 'pretty' does not make it useful. "Can they be controlled to destroy our enemies? Can they be enslaved? Can they follow my command?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, listing all this just to be sure. Maybe he missed something. Maybe... just maybe... they are useful, he just has yet to experience it. Well, apparently his view of 'useful' was concentrated on anything directly being a servant to him...

"No... They are used to help you if you get lost." The orange wizard replied, finding his term of 'useful' to be very narrow at best. "The stars don't move and form patterns. It is kind of like having a map above you at all times. If you know you want to go north, you simply look for a specific set of stars and they will point you in the right direction." She explained to him simply, though, she was sure he would somehow still be confused.

"And they are useful to me because...?" Ren asked, turning towards her, although he wished to return to his dark space. He did not understand why he should even listen to all this. He cannot see them apparently, so they won't help him for sure. In addition, why would he need to know any direction in the first place? He never needed and never had the help of the stars and yet knew exactly where he needed to go when following the scent and aroma of his prey.

"Ren... You may believe you are all-knowing... but I have watched you trip over your own feet on a good day. Knowing a few tricks may be to your benefit even if you can't use them right now." Hyano pointed out to him. She knew he liked to believe he was the most wonderful and smartest being in existence... She might care for him deeply but she knew way better. He could make bimbos seem smart sometimes!

"Right now?" Ren asked, tilting his hooded head to the side at her wording, finding it frustrating to say the least. "As if I would be able to use it ever. I am more than certain, that you would avoid spending time in training your sense of smell when you know you won't be able to use it to the extent I can. It would make no sense for you or me. It would be a waste of effort and time which could be spent more... useful." He trailed off at his last word, all of a sudden turning a bit... confused. Well, truth was, it was uncertainty but the Nazgul refused to ever admit to being uncertain. Confused and puzzled would be the most adequate word to use. He began to recall what he was doing for the moment. He was already wasting time with waiting and sitting around, doing nothing of use as he was unable to. So he either wasted his time with waiting or wasted his time with waiting while she spoke to him. Suddenly, this grew to be a difficult question.

"You could always tell someone to look for a particular group of stars for you." The wizard said, then thought before pointing to the ground. She then started to draw a set of stars. One looked like the little dipper and the other the big dipper. "They come in different groups like this sometimes and if you can have someone find them, then tell you where the one you want is, you can know where to go. If nothing else, it gives you an excuse to order someone around a bit. I know you just 'love' that." She half joked, then pointed to one of the dots she had made. "This one is the north star. If they find it you will know where north is and can find out where to go from there." She said, then looked up. "... We are... right under it, actually." She admitted.

Ren willed himself to take a look at the drawing which the wizard made on the ground. It was either waiting and doing nothing, while the seconds ticked by or he could actually listen to what she was babbling about and let time fly. There were not many choices. He tilted his hooded head to the side when she talked about the north star and actually looked up, only to be greeted by darkness. Well, so much for comparing. But there was one question burning in his mind after what she said.

"If we are right under it... then how do you know where north is?" The Nazgul asked, curious about her answer. She just said that it will show him where north was. But what if it was right above him? Does it mean that he was as north he can ever be?

"The other stars can help with that." The woman replied. "The north star is at the very end of this group of stars and you just go in the opposite direction of the rest of the group to go north." She explained. "So... if we were to follow the picture I made here..." She looked at it, then pointed. "We would want to go in that direction to go north." She said trying to give him a basic example of what she was trying to explain to him.

"This makes no sense..." The wraith exclaimed stubbornly, his mind unable to accept something so complex and yet there was something he started to grasp. So it wasn't the north star individually that spoke of where north was but a cluster of stars... So why was it called the north star if it isn't alone that speaks of where north was? He didn't understand. But maybe he shouldn't do so. It was not something he was supposed to apprehend anyway. "So, basically... this is all the use of the stars?" He asked. Well, it was good enough they can tell where north was. This way he could tell where the other directions were, so there was no other thing they could show him, right?

"Hmm, not only..." Hyano said, looking up at the stars. "As I said, the stars are suns just farther away but some are also other worlds that are reflecting light back at us... According to Asteri, these other stars and planets actually could support life out there too." She said, though, she felt Asteri likely knew this more by instinct than anything. "So to us, the best we get out of them is something to look at and help navigating but to someone else they are a home... Heh... According to another wizard, there are thousands of planets with thousands of options out there... There might even be a planet were darkness already won and is ruling." She said with a smirk, knowing this might be a refreshing thought after the hard lesson.

"Then maybe the Dark Lord left to one of these worlds to rule." Ren suddenly said, gazing upwards again, although the view did not change. Darkness awaited him still. "Maybe, once he established his position in one of those worlds, he would take us there as well to follow his command. Maybe my brothers are already there." He claimed, and although his mind refused to completely believe what she said, seeing he could not spot anything on the sky, there was no longer a Lord to limit his uncharted imagination, which was starting to flourish, trying its wings like a young bird attempting to fly for the first time. "Maybe the Void and nothingness actually is the darkness above..." After all, the Nothingness they always were threatened with seemed to be so alike of the blackness he saw above...

And this sky... if he remembered right... was so much darker than the one they had on Middle-Earth.

Hyano was a little surprised by these thoughts and smiled a bit.

"Maybe... Maybe that is the Void... and those little spots on light I see are just spots of light being slowly snuffed out by the void." She offered. It sounded so very morbid to anyone who didn't understand the person she was talking to. Negative things like this were in fact good in his mind. An odd way of thinking but a true effect of the ring that had worked its curse into his form and mind. "... Or maybe the lights are like little traps... pulling souls towards them like flies to a flame just to burn them away." She added with a shrug.

"That would explain why I cannot see them." Ren's logic dictated, so he voiced it. Truth was, he was right and wrong at the same time. He probably would not see a trap that was not designed to him. On the other hand... the Nazgul did possess a soul, no matter in what state. They were hovering between life and death, the soul did not yet pass on because without one, they could not exist. It is forced into place by the ring of power they wore. Even if the person they were was lost the moment they accepted the magical trap, the soul was still within, as damaged as it was. "I want to go there..."

"... I'm good here." Hyano said, understanding why he might want to go. "I mean... here isn't perfect or anything by far but... if it was perfect, then it would get boring fast. There would be nothing to shake things up and give us something to do." She pointed out with a shrug.

"How can something you like to do be boring?" Ren asked, clearly unable to imagine how anyone could get tired of things they like to do. For him, if he was pleased by an action, he could go on with that for years and years without ever growing bored of it. But it might be just the way his cursed mind worked. "Think about it... The many helpless cattle... Innocent, fresh souls, all ripe for the picking..." The Nazgul hissed and reached out one of his gauntleted hands towards the sky as if he could already feel them nearby, feeling the pressure build in his mind, the desire to feed upon a fearful soul rising within him. No matter the changed magic and the work she was doing, in the end, his darkness will never change.

These were the moments which always shook the istar back into reality. Yes, she can pretend he was her friend from all those years ago, that all this was a game or she could forget all the darkness he harbored within... He still remains what he was, though. A Nazgul. An evil creature hell-bent on murdering, infecting and trampling emotions into the dirt. Nothing else was on his mind. And she did not like it, no matter their connection.

"Because there will be no challenge to it." Hyano pressed on. "You can do it without even a single moment of a true challenge... That is what makes it interesting to me. Being able to finish a goal lacks any true meaning to me if there was no true work put in to doing the goal in the first place. It was the prize that much more sweet if you can think back on all you did to get it. If you can say without a shadow of a doubt that you earned it from start to finish." The wizard explained, though, honestly she believed this was likely only a way the living thought.

"If I claim a victim's death by either fighting or it being handed to me, it was still an accomplishment. As both are a result of the fear and terror I represent." Ren pointed out, not missing a beat. Sure, she might not like a life without challenges but challenges can be quite tiresome after a while. He rather boasts and brags with what he has than look for trouble that would not be worth it. Back then on Middle-Earth, he was perfectly content with his rank and would not have dared to challenge the Witch-king of Angmar for a power struggle. He knew the consequences and decided to avoid them. This didn't mean he didn't bicker with the others from time to time, trying to climb higher among the smaller group but other than that, he rather did not indulge into thoughts that did not concern him and his survival. "To me, it looks like it isn't challenge that you need but a purpose." The wraith hissed, recognizing her train of thoughts. His were so much like that when the silence in his mind greeted him but he stopped thinking so recklessly once he gained a new purpose. To establish his tyrannical rule upon this new land. Some of the steps might pose a challenge but he would not at all mind if everyone just so decided to bow to him without any kind of resistance. To him it simply didn't matter.

"I guess they come hand in hand, really. With purpose comes a challenge and with a challenge comes a purpose." Hyano said with a shrug. "You of all people know I can't sit around long... I can force myself if I truly have to but in all reality I am a being meant to be doing something. Maybe it comes from being an istar. We are born wanderers. Probably the only reason I am able to truly stay in one place at all is you..." Hyano admitted with a heavy sigh. "You give me enough reason to stay where I am and continue my life as I do. If I didn't have you, I probably would be just wandering the world like any other of my kin... I probably would also be child sized too now that I think about it." She stated, having realized a long time ago, that the only reason her age had been allowed to progress seemed to be because she started to use dark magic so many years back.

"Not every purpose is a challenge and not every challenge is a purpose." Ren corrected her, shaking his head with a hiss, considering her idea like that of a newborn orc. They have no idea about the world but walk around as if they did, then end up in trouble or killed by their betters. Despite her being aged many millenniums, she saw quite little of the world or at least understood less than he could. He had many tasks and duties as he served his Lord, however. "For example, what if my purpose is to pick up this rock?" He asked and demonstrated by picking up a random one, then held it up. "This was no challenge. Even though the rock could have any kind of valuable properties. Or remember at Moria, how you killed goblin after goblin, learning this challenge of subduing your foolish emotions. It was not your purpose as a wizard but it was a challenge."

"Yes but it was a challenge that came with a purpose." The orange wizard pointed out. "I couldn't have done what I needed to do if I hadn't done that. Sometimes steps or challenges must be overcome in order to get to the final goal." She explained, not even flinching at the topic of her murders. At some point during her stay in Moria she had grown almost numb to the fact of what she did... She remembered the day she walked in and tortured two orcs to death for hours and walked out again without batting an eye for the first time... It had been... a shocking experience when she realized it but one that she had to admit made her all the stronger for it. Although it came with the price of feeling broken after each day.

"The keyword is 'sometimes'." Ren pointed out, dead set on his belief. And as any other Nazgul, he believed that his own way of thinking was the only right one in the world. Everyone else was wrong and he did not care if they convert willingly by seeing the intelligence behind it or he makes them accept it forcefully. "On the other hand, knowing how to kill without it breaking your will was not your purpose. Your purpose was to serve me and my goal. Everything else was just detail." The wraith clearly did not think much of her accomplishment. For him and his thoughts, leaving emotions behind and murdering without a second thought was natural and he could not understand how it cannot be done by someone. It was a weakness. Nothing more. Breaking this weakness was no challenge, he believed. It was easy as he could do it as well.

Hyano rolled her eyes. As always, Ren was his usual stubborn self and there was no changing him even if one took a ten ton hammer to his head.

"Details are the most important part of any plan, I believe. Otherwise how can you ever get anything done?" She pointed out. At this point she was just making conversation... or arguing. Whichever one wanted to call it. Mostly anytime they talked, it ended in them bickering back and forth until one of them got violent, normally him, then a fight broke out until they both wore out or passed out.

"I let others worry about details. I execute the plan and succeed as my Lord would want me to." Of course, even after so many years he still seemed to believe within his Lord's survival. He had yet to hear a single word from his master and yet he stubbornly believed. Or perhaps it was just a trait of the curse that was upon him. They never truly could function without him, neither could they succeed without his command. And yet here was that single Nazgul, who seemed to have outlived his Lord and now that he was not there to command him, he was let loose into the world, like a young child into a playground with toys. "And let us not converse about your habit of over-complicating the smallest of thoughts and tasks. Sometimes detail is superfluous."

Hyano rolled her eyes like a teenager when he mentioned his lord.

"Would you please give up on him already? If he isn't dissipated in the Void already he will be soon enough. He is done for. You are still here. Simple logic says YOU are the next Lord. Not him." Hyano said in mild annoyance at hearing about Sauron again. The infernal being was gone. They did not hear anything of him for a very long time. Yes, she believed that his essence might linger, due to him being still there and the curse was intact but perhaps he was now trapped in Middle-Earth if he truly survived the last war. In that case, there was no difference for her. Ren had to understand this. Sauron could not help him and he will have to find a way to help himself instead of relying on a being that would never be heard of again by him. Yet for some bloody reason Ren just refused to wrap his head around that. It was best to tell him that Sauron died instead of giving him hope that would be placed in vain in his return. She herself did not believe in his demise but neither did she believe that he could ever return.

Her claim enticed a harsh reaction from the wraith. He shrieked in her direction angrily, not even wanting to hear about his Lord being gone forever.

"How dare you assume something like THAT!" The Nazgul hissed threateningly. The fact that Sauron was silent was already an impossible thought for him, despite having existed for so long without his voice. He was made, created to listen to him and his command, to follow his will and his mighty goal. Anything else was insignificant. While he had no doubt that he will become the new Lord of this world, the thought of him taking over Sauron's place was inconceivable. He still feared his wrath if he ever attempted something like that and the fact that he existed was enough proof for him about the truth he believed in. "There were times in the past when he ceased talking to us... Yet he returned each age to lead us again. He is the most powerful Maia you will find on Arda and you will learn to not doubt him in time." He hissed, stepping towards her. "He is everywhere... In the darkness that spreads wherever I go... In the gold that entices greed, in the selfishness of people, in the searing anger and blinding fury that drives your hand to deliver a killing blow. He is no mere person who can be banished from the living. He long surpassed death's power. Death itself fears him. He will stay in all things in the world and I will take it upon myself to help him restore himself as he did so many times before."

"Then you are winning a war for someone who is dead." Hyano said bluntly when he finished a rant not even trying to take back what she had said before. If anything with that simple statement she made the matter that much worse. "Dead. Dead. Dead. He is not in the darkness. He is not speaking to you anytime soon. He is not Morgoth. He... Is... DEAD." She said as clearly as possible, her eyes looking into his hood as she crossed her arms not looking afraid of him. She had lost much of her fear of him a very long time ago. How many times had he tried to kill her? Too many to count by now at this point she was sure.

This only made the Nazgul that much angrier. There goes pretending that the magic shifting was working. Anyone in the vicinity and above could feel the sheer darkness he emitted when his fury reached a certain point. He gave another hiss of warning as he stood in front of her stubborn form mere few feet away, crossing his metal-covered arms over his dark cloaked chest.

"Then prove me he is dead." He commanded. Ren didn't yet hear any feasible argument against his claim. Like right now, he has given enough good points, while her reply was the angering 'dead' a couple of times. This was not proof. It just served to make him furious, he was sure. She cannot be this ignorant, can she?

"Why? It's not like you would listen to any reason I give you anyway. Even if I make a good point you will either ignore it or say 'my lord is too powerful to let that stop him' or some warg dropping like that." Hyano pointed out. "You have perfectly good freedom and free will and you waste it all over some dream that he is still alive. Exactly what bloody good does that ever do anyone?" She asked him blankly.

"My purpose." The wraith hissed, leaning slightly closer to her and tilted his hooded head to the side. "I know what I have to do because I know what he wishes. Only because of him do I know what I must do. Otherwise, I would be but a wandering spirit with a vengeance. You name it. But my tie to my Lord is what made me to what I am today and will make me to what I become. No matter what it will be." Ren said, clearly using the possibility of his Lord's survival to help him find his path. Perhaps, it wasn't free will that he yearned for. He was not made to think like that. Oh no. He was to follow the command of his master and he doesn't know anything else. "I embrace his eternal lordship, be it silent or worded. Because his last order was to conquer, I shall still follow his command. It still lives in my mind as if he said it just a moment ago."

"Your purpose is what 'you' make it. You could very easily do all this for yourself or do whatever the Void else you wanted. Who cares? The fact is we have several wizards who saw the downfall of Saruman and Sauron. He imploded in on himself! You can't get more bloody dead than that! For crying out loud you were there, weren't you? Were you bloody blind to what was happening around you or something?" She asked him, her eyes looking right into his hood as if she was looking into his eyes.

For Ren, even the mention of him being his own master was foreign. He couldn't comprehend it or understand it how it would be possible. How could he or should he change the purpose he was created for? His sole duty is to serve his Lord and conquer the lands in his name, hunt those who doubt his might and feast on the fear of the living. What else would there be? His mind basically froze whenever he tried to push beyond these purposes. Simply, there was no experience or thought in connection to freedom.

"They thought he was vanquished several times during the ages, each time claiming that he was gone forever. But he always returned, with greater vengeance than the last and now, his fury will shake the land, flood the waters and make the sky fall. There will be no mercy for those who doubt." He warned Hyano with a sharp hiss. He served the Dark Lord, she served him, which makes her serve his master as well. Why does she dare to speak ill of him? Does she not know his power? Does he need to show her?

"I serve you. I don't serve some dead being that isn't even coming back. Dreaming doesn't do a damn thing to get us anywhere in our goals so I'm not about to dream that he is coming back anytime in the future." She replied, waving him off and crossing her arms stubbornly. Likely why they fought so often was because they were both so stubborn when it came to what they did and did not believe in. It was just in their nature it seemed.

"You serve me! I serve my master! This makes you serve the Dark Lord! I thought we were over this at Moria!" Came the angry shriek from the Nazgul as he stepped forward, lashing out with a gauntleted hand with the very intention to push the wizard back and maybe knock some sense into her. How dare she speak so ill of their master! She will see! Once the red eye opens again, she will have no choice but to kneel in front of his eternal gaze, like all those who doubted his survival did each age. "I accept no argument about this. Because all you keep repeating is that he is dead but you seem to not be able to give me any kind of proof that he is gone!" He hissed sharply and pushed his metal-covered hand against his cloaked chest. "I am still here, existing and carrying out his orders. That is all the proof one needs. Darkness stems from him and I am darkness. And I will do all it takes to make his return worthwhile, if this will be the last thing I do in my existence, then so be it."

"Actually, I am going to give your Lord a bit more credit than you. He was a creator. I will admit that he was a being less about destroying everything he touched and more about controlling it. I have read the old texts. If Sauron had control of something he was more than willing to go by the old saying of 'live and let live' as long as it was of use to him. He was a being of progress and power. He just pissed everyone off in the process and that led to his untimely downfall." She admitted willing to give credit where credit was due. While Sauron was admittedly a manipulative bastard, he was a damn smart one. He just let his pride and greed get in his way.

"Of course he is greater than me or you or anyone else on this wretched land. He created us. He gave us our power. He is indestructible as he already proved us." Ren hissed, although he wasn't certain where she was going with this now. First, she kept telling him that the Dark Lord was dead, then, she was praising him. Or maybe the light magic which she is slowly forcing into him was making his mind confused, unable to see some connections. "But no matter. What you must know is that he is there and waiting. In the deepest recesses of the memories of his deeds, in the flickers of darkness that still remains. In the greed and fear that plagues the minds of all. And I will be the one to restore him. He will be pleased."

Hyano raised a brow ready to point out that Sauron didn't make her but thought that would be pointing out the obvious.

"I doubt he is waiting. I doubt I would care if he was. In all honesty if he is waiting somewhere it is likely on the last earth we left behind where he will stay until it too is renewed then MAYBE he might just come back. But here? I don't think so." The wizard replied, giving Sauron only the slightest bit of hope for his return, if only to stop this argument. But not on this earth.

"Then why am I existing here?" Ren asked, pointing a hard gauntleted hand towards himself, tilting his hooded head to the side. "If my Dark Lord does not provide me with darkness, then how can I exist?" He questioned and stared at the wizard in front of him. Sure, they have this connection between them. She is giving him magic, which then he converts for his own but he needs more to exist and back on Middle-Earth many years ago they were not connected. The curse is still intact. It still keeps his soul between life and death. If his Lord truly perished -which of course he did not- his curse would lift and he would be no more. So his Lord must be around. One way or another, his presence is real in this world. If by nothing else... then by his cursed existence.

"You don't need the original caster for a spell to still exist Ren." Hyano pointed out. "Take the spell book Saruman left behind back in the caves. The spell he cast on it to help him keep his secrets still exists even today and he has been gone even longer then Sauron had. Curses live far longer than that. They are not based on the existence of the one who made them but on who or what they are put on. As long as the person or thing exists the curse can go on for all of time." She explained to him. "And darkness... it exists with or without Sauron... You don't need him for that. You just needed him to make you into what you are really. After that he simply had control over you but that does not mean he truly had control over the materials that made you. He simply put them together like one puts ingredients in a pot to make a potion."

"But what kind of spell are we talking about?" Ren asked, tilting his hooded head to the side. "Some could linger because they don't require too much coordination and work. But one that holds a creature tied to the world need something to keep going and not fade away. I exist for many thousand years after the disappearance of my Lord and yet here I am still. There is..." The wraith trailed off as he walked past her slowly, hissing as he looked within himself, searching and looking for that specific feeling, that sensation he wished to describe. "...something holding it together... The ever present iron grip... A mute shadow..."

Hyano watched him.

"So, you feel something holding you together but... you are not sure what it is, so your first thought is to call it Sauron?" She offered, actually trying to help make sense of her mate's thoughts for him. He seemed a little confused to her but in a way some of what he said made a little sense. Honestly she knew he knew very little about spells and how magic worked but she also knew that every time she tried to explain such things to him he would always just get bored or more confused by the time she would finish.

"Well, who else would it be, then?" The creature asked, tilting his dark hooded head to the side as he met the wizard with the ultimate question. None of the Valar or even Eru Illuvatar would have it in their best interest to keep a corrupting being like him around a fragile world. At least so soon. Who else would want him to exist? What would they gain from it? Because just saying that 'surely there must be someone' isn't enough because there is the question of who this being might be.

Hyano took a deeper breath and held her index finger up, opening her mouth to explain in detail what she thought when she found... there was nothing to say. She blinked and lowered her hand, staring at the dark cursed creature in front of her. This was a tough question. Simple, short, to the point but impossible to answer without bending truths that have been spoken by both of them.

She knew it was not Sauron.

However...

They know of nobody so powerful and well versed in dark magic who could hold such a curse in place.

And if indeed there is anyone who can...

Now that would be bad news...

* * *

 _\- Elsewhere -_

"Lord, you big meany! Give it back!"

Lilly called out while giggling and running after the elven elk stag, who was dragging a blanket after himself, snorting, then raised it from the ground and hopped around, jumping away from Lilly, not letting her get the blanket back. He wasn't of course stealing it, was just playing around, holding the object just out of her reach.

To say the least the two were the best of friends if one didn't include Silentbranch. However, Lilly couldn't go see the young ent whenever she wanted. There were times when he would just be too far away to visit. She didn't like this but she had come to accept it and had a lot of fun play with Lord anyway.

Lord and her father still didn't get a long but no one saw that changing anytime soon. It seemed that they were simply tolerating each other for Lilly's sake.

Lord snorted again and as if to tease her he lowered the blanket just in her reach before raising it again and hopping away from her. He continued this game until he finally stopped and threw the item on her head, then taunted her playfully, pushing out his chest with pride.

The little girl gasped as she was hit by the blanket before falling over. She pushed it off of her head before sticking her tongue out at him, then smirked and held the blanket out like a Mexican bull man. "Alright then, Lord. Let's see if you can get it now." She said challengingly.

Lord tilted his head when she did this, before answering the challenge, mock-taunting, scratching the ground with a snort, before charging forward but unlike a bull he didn't aim his antlers at the blanket, instead he wanted to grasp it with his teeth.

Lilly smirked, then in the last minute she spun, flicking the blanket from in front of him.

"Ole!" She shouted with a laugh and held out the blanket again, ready to go another round.

Lord stopped in his tracks when the blanket was pulled from him, then turned around to face her again, shaking his head in disbelief at the game she was playing before mocking, scratching the ground and flaring his nostrils playfully huffing, breathing out through his nose as if angry, then charged, again wanting to catch the blanket with his teeth.

Lilly laughed as she dodged him again, then took off running.

"Ha! Slow poke!" She teased as she ran around the clearing.

Lord huffed and flared his nostrils before he started hopping after her, running, of course catching up with her very easily. He might be old but he still had some moves left. He reached down and grasped the blanket with his teeth, taking it from her and reared up playfully briefly and started backing up but did not hold it out of her reach this time, giving her a chance to grab it if she could get a good grip on it.

Lilly raised a brow, then smiled before running up and making a move to grab the blanket, wondering what the elk had in mind now.

The moment she tried to grasp the blanket, the stag raised it from her reach and pulled it to the side, snorting once. He was mimicking what she did, now playing with her the way she played with him. He didn't know this game but it was amusing. He hopped a little distance away and held the blanket again low, waiting for her to go for it.

Lilly gasped as he did this, then blinked for a moment before realizing what he was up to. She grinned, then got down on her hands looking like a track runner and pretended to be Lord huffing and scrapping at the ground before she took off running at the blanket trying to get it. She liked this game too. She liked to play pretend, though, so that was no real surprise.

The elk rolled his eyes in return at the rather 'overdone' display and simply pulled it from her reach the moment she came close enough, then raised his head in triumph before standing on the other side, waiting for her to do the same again. It was fun to change roles sometimes, especially now. Surely every elk in Middle-Earth only can dream of playing with a human like this. They would be delighted to do this.

Lilly pouted cutely, then looked at him and got an idea. She grinned then took off running into the house. She came back with a small hand-made pump and a deflated ball her mother made from plants at the lake. She took a moment to inflate it. She grinned at the ball before looking at Lord.

"Try this game, Lord." She said and dropped the ball, balancing it on her foot before kicking it about. Then she kicked it over to Lord, sure he could find out how to play this game. Lord was basically all leg and no hands so he was perfect for this game!

The elk tilted his head to the side at the round object and perked his ears when she kicked it towards him, watching as it rolled closer. He made a curious sound, then stepped forward with blanket still in his mouth, then raised a foot and lightly touched the ball, pressing on it, testing it, then bent his neck down and lowered his head to sniff it. He grimaced at its not so pleasant scent and shook his head, snorting in displeasure but that didn't put him off from looking at it more. He watched it for a few more seconds, before lifting a hoof again and kicked the ball lightly, tilting his head to the side when it started rolling, even if just for a short time, seeing he didn't kick with enough force. With his inner fawn waking up at the sight of something so simple yet amusing, the elk perked his ears and hopped a few times before kicking the ball again. The moment the ball moved he hopped again playfully before kicking it now with more force with a hoof, watching as it rolled back to Lilly.

Lilly giggled, stopping the ball with her foot and kicking it from side to side before bumping it up into the air. She caught it on her head, bouncing it once before kicking it back to him. She loved football. Back home she had been on a football team. It was only for little children of course so it was hardly considered a serious sport to her yet but it had been fun all the same and despite her lack of balance she was very good at it. Her planning skills came in handy when thinking out ways to beat the other team.

Lord hopped around when the ball came back at him and started messing with it, then simply dropped the blanket he dragged around all this time and lowered his head to taste the ball. Of course he didn't harm its surface, just a little bite at the outer layer and licked it a little. Elk were simply like that. They were curious just like anyone. But because they lack hands and the fine feel of them, the only way they can test an object and find out more about it by their mouth and tastebuds. Instantly he regretted it and snorted, sticking out his tongue at the strange taste, shaking his head before kicking at it more and sending it back towards her.

Lilly laughed as he liked it.

"Well, duh, it tastes bad. It is for playing. Not eating." She said as she caught the ball, then got an idea. "Hey, let's go to the city and see if any of the children want to play with us. There has to be enough children to get a good game going." She said, grinning at the idea of having a real football game again. She kicked up the ball so she caught it, then pointed towards the city just in case he didn't catch all that she said.

Lord tilted his head to the side and perked his ears, frowning as he tried to understand what she said. But it only got clear what she meant when she pointed towards the city. Oh yes! She wants to go there? The elk looked at her and nodded, then simply stepped forward and started towards their destination.

Lilly squealed, then ran after him. This would be fun. As they walked to the city she dropped the ball, kicking it along in front of her. She wondered for a moment how she should ask the children to play. Not only that but there didn't seem to be many of them in the forest and the city either. Where are they?

Lord followed her of course, but only for a while, then lowered himself to the ground, laying down, finding that he needed to rest. He wasn't a young stag anymore and he spent the whole morning playing with her. He needed his rest.

The debate within her mind quickly vanished as Lilly walked into the city and saw the first child that looked near her age if not a little older. He seemed to be way taller than her but had a childish appearance like hers. He had a light brown long hair and the matching brown eyes that went with it. She grinned, then ran up to them without putting much thought into it.

"Hi! Do you want to play?" She asked outright.

The elf who she noticed was actually doing something. He was picking at a few flowers he saw near a tree and having paid attention to what his mother taught him, he knew that this flower is very delicious when eaten. Of course, he made sure to pick only a few from the batch, leaving most intact to reproduce and survive. He just then stood up when she came around, and looked at her, remembering her from the celebration not long ago. The young boy smiled and let his eyes fall to the object at her feet. He knew it was a ball. But he never saw one this... large.

"Well... sure. Why not?" He said, although silently, shrugging. He was about to go home and share the flower with her parents but otherwise he would be just sitting at home, probably reading a book.

Lilly grinned up at him, then looked around expecting Lord to be right behind her. She was a little disappointed when she saw he wasn't there but easily found out why. This had happened before. He would just get tired. A drawback of their age difference. She looked back at the boy before kicking up the ball and catching it. She noticed the flowers and her eyes widened.

"Woooow. They are so pretty." She said like they were the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She was so young that small things like these were the best thing in the world to her. She doubted that would ever change, though. She loved the simple things. It made it all the better.

The boy gave her a smile and held out one flower, offering one to her.

"They are called Elven Honey. They are pretty, indeed. And taste rather nice. Try it." He offered, then took the flower from its stem and put it into his mouth, chewing on it. It had the taste of honey with lemon, something the elves liked among many things. At first when they came in the new world there were not much of them but after planting and a little care, the flower started to spread. But they still need to reach all the forest... The flowers and the plants one would need grow the slowest... Everything else spreads like wildfire...

Lilly held the ball in one hand and took the flower with the other cupping it like one would glass. One could eat flowers? The idea had never even crossed her mind. She smiled up at the boy before putting the ball back down and plucked off a petal and closed her eyes before putting it in her mouth. She had honestly expected it to taste strange but... it was living up to its name! It tasted like honey if not better. She opened her eyes, blinking in surprise before grinning and plucked another petal but instead of eating the rest she put the flower in her hair.

"I really like it! I will save the rest for later. I think it would taste really good with some rice cakes." She said, a little eager to go home and try the idea.

"Rice cakes?" The boy asked, frowning at the name of the dish but decided to not push it further, instead, let his brown eyes wander to the large ball, then met her gaze once more with a curious glance. "Well... What would you want to play?" He asked, unsure. Of course he can pick a game but then again... she surely brought this large ball because she has an idea and this one will be their tool for it. And as it is natural for his kind and for a child, he was curious about it and felt no harm in trying.

Lilly giggled and assumed she would give him one later. When he asked what she wanted to play she looked to her ball. "Football. I was going to start a big game but..." She looked around. "It looks like a lot of the elflings vanished... so we can play one on one if you like." She said with a smile, not even thinking to ask why this boy was still here when so many of the children were gone for who knows how long. Well Rosa knew but Lilly didn't. "It's really fun... Do you want to put the flowers away first though? They might end up crushed if you play with them in your hands." She suggested. Even though football was a 'no hands' game the flowers still could end up dropped, crushed or who knows what else while they were playing.

"Well, there are still others about. I can call them. Wait here!" The young elf offered and ran off but before he did that he stopped in his tracks and quickly ran over to the stag, giving him the remaining flower in his hand before running towards the city.

Lord of course didn't mind the 'treat' and happily munched on it, closing his eyes in pure bliss. It was so rare that he could get a flower like this. They always seem to grow thicker and bigger near the trees of the city.

It only took ten minutes and the girl was surrounded by ten children. All of them in different ages, all of them lean but quick and seemed excited when they heard about a new game.

Lilly was caught off guard as a whole bunch of elven children were brought. She got a wide grin though as she saw them all. Before she explained the game, she ran and made two places that would be the goals. She then looked through the elflings, picking the two that would likely make the best goalies and told them to go where she had made the goals. Then she explained to them the objective of the game. Unless one was protecting the goal one was not allowed to use your hands. The ball starts in the middle and both teams are trying to get the ball into the other team's goal. The team that gets to ten points first wins.

"Alright. Then let's play." One of the elven girls said and simply stood in position just as Lilly told them to stand in. By this time some adults' gazes were attracted to the site, their curiosity not letting them be and wanted to watch what will happen. The children were planning rather intensely and didn't pay them any heed, instead stood in their places and waited for Lilly to start the game, the last boy putting the ball in the middle.

This will be fun!

* * *

 _\- a little later -_

Lilly waved as all the elflings left.

She had not expected the game to go on for so long, however the children were surprisingly more competitive than she could have realized. Despite her not actually playing, she got a very good workout by running from one end to the other, making sure no one broke any rules. Every so often she did have to stop the game in order to show the other children some moves that would make things easier or instruct them on what they were doing wrong. Before she knew it, the elflings were very good, taking her instruction rather seriously.

At one point Lord had even started in on it, running back and forth and when he saw something he thought was out of place he would get Lilly's attention to it. They made good referees, working together like that.

The little girl smiled. Today had been a lot of fun. She hoped to play again tomorrow.

She walked over to the ball and kicked it up, catching it before turning and yelping as she was caught by surprise by the boy right behind her. She knew him. he was the one she met first and gathered all the others for the game.

"Ah! Oh uh. Sorry. I thought everyone went home." She admitted sheepishly.

The boy was tired by now as well. This game required quite the work and stamina, which he sadly lacked. He watched as the other children went home but he decided to stay.

"It is quite late and dark. I can bring you home if you want. You know... just to be sure." He uttered, although he didn't have as great confidence but still offered to escort her back, despite Lord being around. He was just polite and thankful for the game she showed them. It was the least he could do. "I am sure your parents are worried... They would feel safer if they see you didn't come home alone."

"Awwww!" Lilly said, then dropped the ball and hugged him. "You are so sweet! Of course, you can walk me home. I don't mind at all. If anything it's a good thing because then you will know where I live so you can come visit." She said excitedly, displaying far more confidence than the boy seemed to. She let go of him and kicked the ball up again before catching the boy's arm and tugging him along. "Come on! I live this way! This is perfect. I nearly forgot I wanted to show you what a rice cake was." She said eagerly as she started for home. Her mom was sure to have dinner done by now. Maybe the boy could stay for a meal.

The boy tensed and blinked when she suddenly hugged him, having not expected this to happen. Well, he did smile in the end. He didn't even get to say anything, confirm or deny what she offered but she dragged him right along, making the boy gasp but followed her nonetheless, running, matching her speed a little easier than that of his friends. She was slower by nature.

Lord huffed as she ran off, rolling his eyes before hopping after them, running behind them, his ears fully perked to listen for any danger. Night was the most risky time of the day. When the predators lurked...

It wasn't long until they got home.

Lilly smelled the air and grinned.

"Yey! Its curry night!" She shouted happily as she ran up to the door and ran right in still with the boy.

Lilly's mother looked up from the pot she was working with. She smiled when she saw her daughter and a what she could best guess was a friend she had dragged along with her. She was quite delighted to see her finally making friends. Hyano promised them it would be easier in the new world. And here she was, having a friend along already.

"Hello sweety. Who is your friend?" She questioned curiously as she got a large bowl and filled it with some food for Lord before placing it outside for the large creature. A treat for being so kind to her daughter.

Lord in the mean time inclined his head in thanks to the mother as she put out the bowl for him, then grasped the wooden item with his teeth and put it farther away to munch on the content peacefully, knowing the father was nearby...

Lilly blinked.

"Uh..." She looked at him, giving a sheepish smile. "What is your name?" She asked him, realizing now that she had not asked what his name was.

The boy was about to suggest to slow down and knock because that was the way to be polite when arriving, no matter if it is home but he didn't get to say it because she dragged him right inside. Of course he could smell the scent of food. Strange but seemed interesting, then looked at her when the girl finally realized she doesn't yet know his name. Actually, he already said it, she must have forgotten it during the game.

"I am Naril." He simply said, giving the woman a graceful elven bow as they all greet each other, then looked at the girl, unsure what to do. He wasn't that determined, learned to be quiet from his younger age. Well, she surely knew why she brought him in...

Lilly smiled.

"I'm Lilly and this is my mommy." She said with a grin.

Holly laughed lightly.

"You may call me 'mom' if you like. It does not bother me. Any friend of Lilly's is as good as family anyway." She said and patted his head. "Are you staying for dinner?" She asked and Lilly jumped up and down.

"Yes, please! Mom makes the best curry. You will love it! Oh, mom can you make rice cakes? Naril gave me this tasty flower and I want to try them together." She requested eagerly, plucking the flower out of her hair and held it out for her mother to see.

The mother smiled.

"Of course. I will start them now." She said with a smile, then looked at the elf, giving him a look that said he could leave if he wanted. She knew her daughter could be rather pushy.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." The boy -now known as Naril- said politely, then stood back a little when the little girl talked to her mother. Well, he already knew her name, having heard of her and her family. However, he was sure he will not and cannot call her mother his. He has his own and it would be inappropriate if he called someone else his mother. It would be also offending towards his own. It was just... wrong. He watched the exchange silently, not saying a word. He didn't answer to the look, mainly because he was already invited and having come along... meant he accepted. It would be rude to back out of it. Also, the scents were indeed... strange and interesting. He never ate such food.

Lilly's mom stood up and made her way back to the kitchen to get the dishes and start setting the table.

Lilly gave the elf boy a playful shove.

"You don't have to be so stiff. We don't bite." She teased, then put the ball by the door.

At that same moment the door opened her father, brother and older sister all stepping in. Her older sister was coming home from working. It had been a long day. With the days getting colder Rosa had suggested to her mentor that they start making hoodies. Her mentor had no idea what the items were, so she was now showing her the new item and they were finding out how to make it.

Her father and brother had obviously been out training. They were covered in sweat.

Lilly grinned.

"Papa!" She squealed, then ran up to him.

He lifted her up with one arm easily before looking towards the elf as if asking who he was.

"That's my new friend, Naril." She answered the unasked question.

He gave the boy a nod while Cane waved as he walked by, heading right to his room to get changed and cleaned up for dinner.

Rosa went right to the kitchen to help her mother set up for dinner but made sure to give the boy a wave as well.

All the quiet boy could do was nod in respect and greeting, wave back, not wanting to disturb the peace and silence within this cozy home. It seemed to contain more personal objects than a normal home of the elves. He gasped when the girl shoved him, who stared back at her and gave her a nervous smile. He wasn't the most confident among his kind and that showed. He shifted in his stance uneasily, not sure what to while they wait for the dinner. He was invited but then again, as a guest, he has no say in the ongoings of their lives, so waited for Lilly to suggest something. His train of thoughts of course broke when he took a better look of the father. He was... big and strong, quite proud and demanded respect just by standing there. But he didn't seem to be as talk-active. The boy made sure to nod in greeting, unable to say anything. He noted the muscles... This was strange for the boy's eyes. He never saw anyone with that many muscles, it almost seemed... unnatural and abnormal but didn't note any of it. Elves are all tall, thin, slim in build, just like him. But well... that trait means less for him.

The father put Lilly down and left to go get cleaned up as well.

Lilly smiled, then reached out and tugged the boy over to the table.

It was a low made table so everyone could sit on the soft cushions on the floor. Lilly sat down and smiled. Since her family had an odd number of people in it Lilly was used to sitting on her side of the table alone while her sister and brother sat on the other side and her parents sat at the heads of the table. Once the table was set and her family had all sat down, Holly started serving everyone their meals.

"So, Naril, tell us a little about yourself. Do you live in the city?" The ent mother asked as she finished serving the curry and rice.

Lilly debated on warning the boy about the fact that that the curry was spicy but she was kind of curious about his reaction. From what she had noticed elves didn't eat spicy food.

Naril found their way of eating familiar. Elves sometimes have such tables but most common are now the higher ones with lower chairs. Depends on the preferences of the elven family itself. Seeing there was only one empty spot, Naril sat down next to Lilly, opposite of the two older siblings. As he made himself comfortable, he saw as the mother brought in the food. He couldn't help but frown a little. The scent was strong. Very strong at that, which means that the food must be very spiced. But he didn't yet know the taste, so he will have to judge it after.

"Well... Yes. I live at the northern side of the city..." He trailed off, looking down at the food that was placed in front of him before meeting the gaze of the mother. Seeing she asked, she will get his reply. "There is not much to say about me. I have a simple family with no siblings. My life is yet short and uneventful." He finished. It was clear he was not only quiet but also humble, not liking to talk about himself. He thought it was... kind of selfish to do so and give them a whole hour-long tale about his life from his birth. "I have been around here before and this house was empty. You moved here not long ago?" He asked, addressing anyone who wished to answer his question. "The family that lived here moved out a while ago and went to the southern lands. The southern cities."

Holly nodded.

"Yes. It is similar to a home we had back in Middle-Earth and it is far enough from the city that we can have some peace while also being close enough that we can go and be among the elves if we like." She explained as she started to eat. There were two options for utensils in front of everyone. Metal chopsticks or the simple knife, fork and spoon. Lilly and the mother both were using chopsticks while the rest used forks to eat. Lilly liked using chopsticks because it was more fun and sometimes made eating some foods a challenge.

"Just because your life is short does not mean it isn't worth telling." The father stated, speaking up for the first time since he got there.

Lilly grinned. "Yes! Like what is your favorite color? Favorite games? Do you have any funny stories? I could give you a million. Like this one time Rosa spilled her coffee and ah!" Lilly was about to go on but Rosa had reached over and hit her upside the head.

"Shut it, you little brat!" She said, blushing as she too remembered the story. Cane snickered while watching his sisters.

The elfling nodded in return at what was told him about their home, understanding their point of view. They still consider themselves as 'outsiders who slowly wish to be part of the city with time'. Maybe this way of thinking wasn't so bad... The elves can get used to their presence and with time they can meld them into their society without trouble. Well, with their moving to the city, it already happened. They are now part of the elven city and have an impact on its life. But then again, about what he heard... he always imagined them as loners. Families living on their own separated from civilization, doing what they liked to do. Sounded interesting, actually. But elves usually don't long for extended travels. Soon enough he looked down at the food again and let its scent reach his senses, noting the strong scent. He felt something... foreboding but decided to give it a try. First things first... He had to figure out... which utensil to choose. Elves usually ate with the more fork-like utensil, so it was just natural for him to choose the fork. He looked up again when the father spoke up, hearing his intimidating voice but managed to smile, knowing he was right. There are many things one can tell but he simply... wasn't someone who liked to tell tales about himself. He also wasn't one to speak. He liked to listen more than anything. He couldn't help but chuckle at the antics of the siblings, shaking his head.

"Well, those are rather small things... Insignificant. And I don't truly have any funny stories to tell. I normally don't go out much and my family is busy all day." He stopped, thinking, trying to come up with anything to talk about that would be worthwhile about him. "Oh... My mother said I should take the profession of a mage. I am... not truly that good with a bow or at running..." Naril trailed off, clearly he wasn't all that comfortable to talk about this subject. "So... they think it is best I did something else. Magic is fun. Well... sounds fun. I didn't yet have any luck in it..."

Lilly stuck her tongue out at her sister before looking towards the boy. She noted that despite what he was saying it didn't sound like this was what he wanted to do.

"What do you want to do?" She asked outright before continuing to eat.

Will also seemed to take notice, stopping his eating for the moment and looked towards the elfling curiously. Rosa and Cane had started talking among themselves. They were speaking in the olden language that their mother had used when singing at the festival. It was a home language which is why they never used it among the elves. Now that they were home among their own besides the boy, they used it freely jumping between the language of man and their own like it was second nature. Every now and again Rosa would say an elvish word. She was teaching her brother and telling him about her day at work. He was less talk-active than her but it showed in his face that he was curious.

The elf looked up briefly, now poking the food with his fork, not because he wasn't hungry or didn't like it but because he was in deep thought.

"I... want to do what everyone else. Shoot a bow, climb trees with speed only our kind can do... Handle the sword... Or a spear..." He trailed off with a sigh. "But I cannot. I lack the stamina and balance for it, let's not even talk about speed. I don't know why. The others say because my family is native elves. Created here in this world by the Main God to refresh the blood of those who came from Middle-Earth." He explained and leaned back slightly, raising an eyebrow when he heard foreign words being spoken and averted his attention to the talking siblings. Of course there were a few words spoken in his language as well, which was clear was used for education. The way she said it, she was trying to teach the other the language. But from how things look and sound... she could use a little teaching as well. She was just learning. Shrugging, letting them speak as they wished, Naril finally scooped some of the food into his mouth. Only a small potion though... The scent was strong and the elves know to only try little as a first bite from anything foreign. And the advice was... rather useful as he just now learned.

The food... It was... extremely spiced.

His skin did go red a little but thanks to the very small amount he tried it wasn't so bad as one would expect. It was still strange... and not as pleasant.

"This is... unusual..." He commented, not wanting to offend anyone. Spices were always used little in elven foods, this is why they are more sensitive to it. They feel them better. But seems like the family likes to use them excessively. He grasped for the cup that was set before him without much hesitation and drank a little water to ease the strong taste. "Wow..." He said with a chuckle, despite everything, he found it funny. He didn't expect this.

Lilly giggled at her friend's reaction, she did expect it after all. Not many humans could take their food either. The two siblings also laughed a bit at his reaction but nothing too much not wanting to embarrass the boy.

The two parents were quiet, though, looking to each other as if they were having a silent conversation. The mother said something in their language which seemed to catch the siblings' attention before the father nodded. Lilly's mother smiled and looked at the elf boy.

"There is no reason why you still can't even if you are different. It just means you will have to work a little harder... and maybe a little differently than the others. Have you ever considered strength training?" She asked him calmly.

Lilly grinned, liking this idea already.

"Strength?" The elf frowned, of course blushing a little when the family started to giggle at his reaction to the food but he didn't let this hold him back from eating. He was invited for dinner, so will not offend them by not eating anything. Besides... it wasn't so bad, once one can look past the very strong taste. But one has to concentrate much on that. "My kind has no true strength... In the way you suggest." He pointed out, not understanding why they would suggest something like that. It was obvious that his kind was lean, slim, their true strengths comes with bows, swords, their speed and agility. Strength would be the complete opposite, right?

The mother smiled.

"The body is a fantastic thing. It will adapt to whatever training you put it through and grow that much stronger if treated right. You already admitted you are not quite like the other elves. Maybe it is better you treat your body as not like theirs and find other means of making yourself stronger like you want. Strength training is different from the others but it might be exactly what you need." She explained. "It won't end in you using a bow and arrow but it would be useful in sword play and hand to hand combat." She added.

Naril cleared his throat, understanding what she meant of course. However she seemed to misunderstand him as well.

"I mean... Elves might by naturally unable to strength training..." He added and let his gaze wander to his hand which still held the fork. "We don't have much muscle... by nature." He made sure to note this as well and waited for a reply. He never saw an elf with more muscle than what was necessary for wielding their weapons and he never saw an elf with excessive muscle. He didn't see elves with one either... They didn't seem to be... fit for it or naturally capable of having such strength.

Holly laughed lightly and was about to explain herself but Lilly beat her to it.

"When was the last time one even tried?" She asked bluntly. "Besides most of those elves are from Middle-Earth. You just said your family isn't. Maybe yours is different from them. For all you know you could be as strong as my dad if you tried." She added with a grin.

Lilly's mother nodded.

"It is true. Though, you can't have the same hard structure as we do, you very well could be just as strong. If you wanted, that is." She stated, though, she wasn't really trying to push too much.

"Well..." The elf trailed off, trying to find the right answer.

"They might have tried once. But they don't anymore because they know they can't..." He guessed. Surely an elf or two decided they wanted to see how much strength they can get from an elf and they didn't like the result. This is why the elves don't work with muscle. They must have tried. "Well... I am guessing this all because I have the same body build as them..." He explained with a shrug. "But... I think I might give it a shot..." He finally said, looking at Lilly and her mother, although he didn't sound too convincing. "Trying is at least better than sitting inside all day studying for the arcane arts... I don't like sitting inside."

Lilly squealed happy, he was going to try and even went to hug. However, she stopped instantly when her father spoke up.

"No." He said bluntly.

Holly looked at him confused before realizing what he was doing. The father was actually quite willing to teach the boy. However he wanted to test something first. He wanted to know the boy's reaction and see what his mental state was like. There was more to strength training than just the physical. He needed to know how he was going to need to train the boy mentally as well.

Naril didn't exactly understand what he meant, so frowned in confusion and tilted his head a little, letting his eyes rest on the father.

"What do you mean?" He asked, unsure. Well, he talked about many things in the past few seconds, so he could have meant anything... Unlike the family, he wasn't synced with them, so didn't know what he meant just by a gesture or a word.

The father looked towards the elfling.

"I don't think you can handle it. So I refuse to train you." He clarified simply.

Before Lilly could protest, her father gave her a look that made her go quiet, though, she did pout. She didn't understand what her father was up to, so it annoyed her.

Will then looked back at the boy, keeping his eyes training on his. He continued to wait and see what he might do or say. He was calm his face, showing no true emotion at all. If he was thinking anything the boy would not be able to tell.

"I didn't expect it." Naril said, blinking. Well, the family offered that he trains in strength but they didn't offer the training itself, so he found nothing bad in the refusal and neither did Naril ask for training. "I am sure I can train myself. Somehow." He added, then simply went back to eating, trying a new bite of the strong and hot food. Of course he didn't know what a training of gaining strength held but he had the slight idea how to start it. Building muscle would be his primary goal, strengthening what he had so far perhaps. He will have to research in the library for a proper way. Because surely they have something.

The father leaned over and flicked the boy on the forehead.

"First lesson. Don't be a fool. Use what you have and push for what is right. So far you have allowed others to tell you what you can and cannot do, which has made you unsure of yourself. You have a resource in our family, teaching you yet you were willing to give it up so easily when you were told no. Strength without wisdom and the will to push for what is right is like building a wall in the middle of nowhere. Useless." He told the elf, his voice rather harsh. "Be here before sunrise tomorrow. If you are late you will run. Got it?" He said but it wasn't really a question. The boy either made it or he was running. No real question to it really.

Naril frowned right after this. He didn't understand the father. Or more like... he didn't understand him.

"No. I think you misunderstood me." He pointed out, still staring at the father quite confused, almost offended at the harsh words. "I meant that I didn't ask for training, neither did you offer. You just suggested. That isn't equal to offering the training, neither did I expect it. This is elven nature." He said, then simply shook his head and resumed eating. He wasn't used to harsh words or... commands. Especially when they misunderstand him. While maybe it would be expected from normal people in Middle-Earth to expect and demand such things, he was an elf. And elves were humble, they don't expect or demand. They ask or don't even expect help for free or without it being suggested. If someone doesn't want to help, then they don't, they don't take it to the heart.

"Does that not equal out to the same thing?" The father said bluntly. "Your 'elven nature' is something that you will have to work with as well. In your own words strength training is not elven. So the ways of the elves -while a part of you- will have to be monitored and you will have to find a new balance in them as well. It is not just a physical change but a mental one." He said, then flicked the boy again. "And don't correct your elders. It is rude." He added as if it was a secondary thought.

Cane snickered lightly. He would have to work with the boy too. His father could be... harsh and it took some getting used to. Even he had a hard time with it sometimes. He was sure Naril would find it out though if he was stubborn enough anyway.

Naril frowned, especially at the handling he got. He didn't like it of course. Also, not the snicker of the other boy. He was already left behind by the others, he didn't need another helping of mockery. If this is how it is going to look, then he might as well reconsider his choice.

Lilly grabbed up the boy's hand.

"He will be here, daddy, I promise!" She said quickly, then pulled the boy, running out the door before the conversation could continue any farther.

* * *

 **Now. Things will change from the next chapter.**

 _CA Productions_


	10. Friends Forever

**We would like to thank our dear readers for sticking with us for so long. So, here is the next chapter just for the cuteness and some insight in some friendships. And some starting conflicts D:**

 **-Chapter overhaul complete-  
**

 **Also, Sauron get-together in the review section. Every Sauron welcome.**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 10 - Friends Forever

 _\- next evening -_

He didn't even know where he was and what he was doing, what happened and that he was actually carried.

Naril had given everything he could and in his opinion failed all too miserably. The fact that he was a lean elf was very prominent and that his kind simply wasn't supposed to train like this by their natural body build. This didn't mean it cannot be changed but he might need a little more time and patience.

First, there was the problem of how early the training started. He ended up late, due to elflings always following the cycle of the sun naturally. He woke up with the sun as usual, so ended up having to run himself half-unconscious as a punishment... Perhaps this was what he meant as an elf nature...

The boy grumbled something inaudible as he opened his eyes, looking at the trees as they went by but not seeing them truly. He was slipping in and out of unconsciousness, unable to control his actions any longer. The only thing he knew was that he wasn't moving, yet the area around him was, his muscles screamed for relief and the tension of them was unbearable. His mind was of course also wounded somewhat. Despite the warning he gave to them yesterday, the father still was rather commanding, harsh and expected him to actually listen to all of it. His first reaction was denial and stubbornness, then he became more sensitive and silent as the time went by.

In the end he didn't even speak.

Instead he just collapsed.

And here he was now...

They made it home with the worn-out boy soon enough.

As the father expected, he received an earful from his daughter for having exhausted her new best friend in such a manner and no kind of explanation could settle her anger. Only once she was told to practice her pressure massage did she calm down, seeing she was helping him recover from today's event. After having given him some food to gather energy, Will decided to bring him home himself.

He seemed to understand that the elfling was tired beyond reason by this point. He couldn't blame him. The humans back home had a hard time with it as well. He was also not used to training children, much less elven children. That was what most of today was about. While the boy may believe that the father was just being harsh he was actually just trying to see what his limits were. Once he knew that he could really work with him. It was hard to work with someone on a different level than one's self. He had a lot to get used to.

Once the boy gestured that they have arrived, Will finally snapped from his thoughts and gazed upon the elven home.

Naril's home was just like any other. Built into a thick tree. The sun was already setting, so lights were seeping out of the window. The scent of cooked meal was beginning to spread as well.

The moment they were close enough, the boy asked to be put down and quickly announced the new guest, who was then received by a rather tall and quite lean looking elf, the father of the boy as it seemed. It was easy to tell, since they looked quite similar with their brown hair and brown eyes, although the older elf had a darker shade. The ellon seemed to be observing him with a slight suspicion and curiosity before finally granting him entry with a silent nod of his head.

Will nodded as he was allowed to come in, then let his eyes wander a moment, noting the humble decoration and the reserved natural colors before looking towards the father of the elfling.

"A pleasure to meet you." He said trying to be... calm and respectful. Not something he was used to. "I don't know how much your son has told you but I realized it was rather informal to just start training him without speaking to you about it. So, I thought it best to come here and answer any questions you might have. My name is Willow by the way. Everyone calls me Will, however." He explained himself and for the first time since he came to this place said what his name was. Neither he nor his wife had said their names once since they arrived. Almost as if it was protected information. Although, Hyano had the habit for introducing them...

"I welcome you on our humble home, Willow Razorleaf." The much older ellon said and gestured for him to sit while his son retired to his room, unable to stay awake. He needed to sleep or else he would pass out. No one said a word either to him. One could tell he wasn't in the mood to speak. "I am Feoton, born on Outer-Earth." He said, introducing himself as well while they are there, not wanting to seem rude. "Well... I have heard from Naril about this... training of yours." He started, sitting down after the father did, sitting opposite of him. "And I was thinking of paying a visit because of this... I am not sure what this training exactly contains..."

Will wasn't used to the formality of the situation but he did his best to not show how off he was feeling in this situation. He doubted the other father would have noticed anyway, though. Only his wife could seem to read his emotions. Sometimes, she knew what he was thinking better than he did. It was almost scary.

"Manual labor, mostly. You start the day with a run. It gets the heart pumping and ready to go. Considering your son isn't used to the early hour this is an easy way to start the day for him. Today I spent mostly seeing what he could handle. Elves are... not naturally built for this but he has potential. He is very stubborn which will actually help him if he puts his mind to the right task. Once he has improved his strength enough I will start teaching him my people's fighting style. See how he takes to that." He explained and thought over if there was anything else he might have missed. "Majority of it will be lifting and building muscle, increasing his endurance. Speed will come with time as a secondary to what he will be doing but it will not be our focus." He added.

The elf listened to the explanation, lowering his gaze sometimes to the table, taking in the information and what he needed to do, judging the harshness of the training and if his son would be able to take it. All in all he didn't find anything truly against this, seeing he himself never had such a training, so surely he just thinks of this as too harsh because of this. However... there was one thing.

"My only concern is the beginning time of the training. I would like to ask to let him come to you later when the sun has come up. Elven children are very tightly synced to nature and the cycle of the day. They fall asleep and wake with the sun. The older he gets the more he can go against this but... Not for now. Pushing out the starting time is necessary to ensure that he can give his best." He explained, nodding at him, sounding calm and understanding but also requested his own consideration. "I also would request that you... don't use harsh words. Elves at this age naturally are sensitive because of their sync. They need understanding. They are simply more sensitive to words, emotions and the handling." Feoton's other unspoken concern had been the desire of Will to teach his son their fighting style. It might be too early for him to start with aggressive attacking. He was too young for this. However, he understood that it might come years later when he built himself both in body and mind. He will keep a close eye on this matter.

The man thought this over, then nodded.

"That is fine for now." He stated, not too bothered by it. His son and himself would keep the same schedule. Cane could run more laps than Naril at this point anyway so by the time Naril made it and finished his own warm out, Cane would have gotten a proper one for himself. "I cannot help my harsh tone much, though. The men of my kind are rather... harsh by nature. It is in our voice. No matter how kind I might act in comparison to what the boy is used to, he will likely still take it harshly. There is really little that can be done besides us both working on that together." He added, being honest. He knew he was a harsh man and was hard to be around. There really wasn't much that could be done about it. Even in comparison to his own kind he was rather standoffish. It was just how his upbringing had ended up.

"I am sure you will find the solution for this together." Feoton reassured with a faint smile, then leaned back in his seat, watching the man. "There is always a solution. One just has to see it. But what the solution is, that is up to the people involved with this." He said, giving him a smile and a nod. "Well, there surely might be questions you might want to ask. Considering you came from Middle-Earth, which contains no elves... You might be confused about a few things." He suggested, open for any questions Will might ask. At the same time his brown eyes scanned the man, as if he was trying to see through him and judge him while he stayed. Elves were protective of their young and he would not let Naril be around with people he did not know. Then again, the wizard seemed to trust them, hence why he acted more reasonable. This didn't mean he trusted them himself, though. He was one of those cautious elves. he was skeptic about their motivation and their role in this world.

"... To be honest, I know very little about elves. I do not usually work with children either. Add in, he is an elf and I am quite at a loss the majority of the time. I spent most of today testing your son for this reason. Pushing him here and there in order to find what is right and what is wrong for him. I doubt he liked it much but it will make the training easier with time. I have noticed... and correct me if I'm wrong but... he seems to have a mental limit on himself. Like he is afraid to fail so he has already limited himself in order to avoid it." Will said his observation, looking at Feoton, wondering if what he noticed was true or his own head playing tricks on him.

The ellon's weak smile started to vanish when he mentioned these little details about his son. The look clearly said that he knew about these and that he wasn't all that keen to talk about it. Only after almost a minute of silence did he speak up in a more hushed tone, although, he was sure his son and wife could hear him just nicely. Elven ears were just that sharp.

"That is true..." He trailed off, clearing his throat, his hands moving together to fiddle with his fingers. "He had this from the very beginning." He sighed. "Mainly because he seems to be a little different than those around him. He seems to lack the attention for archery by nature and his speed leaves much to be desired. His balance isn't the best either, neither his stamina. He is a..." He trailed off, trying to find the right words. "A little sad about this. We never mentioned it though but he knows he is supposed to do all these and accepted that he cannot. We are sad to see him just watch the other children go on their training. I think the limit is the result of his own physical limits..."

The man thought this over for a moment before deciding to speak.

"Back in Middle-Earth our people were enslaved. We were forced by Man to do their will for many generations and put through much pain. However, at one point our people somehow started to accept this, believing it to be the rightful way of our life. What made it worse was we refused to speak about it, refused to see that what was there was really wrong so we put our own mental block on ourselves. It wasn't until someone finally spoke up... defied his... 'master' that the mental block was finally broken. We started to fight for our freedom and what we believed and felt was right." He explained, then leaned forward. "You mean well for your son. Anyone can see that but refusing to speak and talk about it is just as bad as rubbing it in his face. You tiptoe around it and he will continue to block it just like you are... If you don't encourage him, then all his training is for nothing. He will never get past himself." He added, not wanting the father to believe ill of himself or his words.

"I myself am not sure about this solution of yours but I never told him to not go on this training." The elf quickly corrected it, wanting to make it clear. "We did not stand in his way, hence why he showed up today morning. We knew that maybe... this is what he was born for... Who knows... We are native elves. Slightly more different than those who came from Middle-Earth. Many develop different skills, some lack that of precision many times and accuracy but are graceful sword fighters. Most of us seem to find our profession in the wielding of a spear. While those coming from Middle-Earth prefer the bow and daggers." He sighed, pausing for a short time, his eyes flickering to the table before meeting his gaze again. "But maybe you are right. We did not truly talk about this... state of his because we ourselves did not know what to do. We did not know how to counter this. He seems to be weak with a bow, not as graceful with a sword or spear... So, we encouraged him first for magic. Mostly those who do not excel in any of the weapon's fields are renowned mages. But he did not find much passion in that either..."

"We will see. If he does not have a passion for magic, it is best he not take it anyway. Without passion, magic can be quite useless to the user." Will said, remembering Hyano's words like she said them only yesterday. "If nothing else it is doing my family some good to have him around. My daughter has taken a liking to your boy and it seems my son is enjoying the company as well. If only one thing comes of this, I at least hope, it is a friendship between them." He said, rather pleased with how his son had acted during training. While he had been pushing Naril to go harder, Cane just continued to tell Naril he could do it and would act as his spotter during lifting exercises, keeping his hands close enough to catch the weights if the boy happened to give out. Lilly was also surprising him. She was known to have a slightly... short attention span when it came to friends. She made them so easily but she rarely made an effort to really remember them not expecting to ever see them again. Middle-Earth was so fast paced. People just tended to come and go.

Perhaps it was different with the elves...

Time will tell.

* * *

 _\- a few days later -_

The only one at the training grounds was Cane. He has arrived with his father at the usual time but unlike the day before his father had not stayed to watch him warm up, instead went to do his own morning workout. Cane was used to this. His father would be back a little later, until then Cane would handle Naril's warm up. He had done this so many times it would be easy as ever. Already Cane was jogging... well more like running around the track. He had kept himself slow the last few days for Naril's sake but since he was training on his own at the moment he was free to go as fast as he wanted and at the moment that was quick.

As promised, Naril made it to the training ground after sunrise, having found it after remembering the way here from the past days. Elves have quite good memories. They never forget. He also looked far more awake than he did on his first day when they started before the sun had risen. The boy looked around for the father, confused to see him gone, then walked over to the track, noting that Cane was already warming up for today's training.

"Good morning." He greeted him as he passed by, quickly adding the question he surely expected. "Where is your father?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. He actually also stopped by at their house with the lunchbox, though instead of bringing something to eat, he brought them this time a traditional elven drink. Not only was it delicious, its base component being honey but it also lifted the mood of anyone who drank it and also had mild healing properties. But as usual with elven foods and drinks... only a little as enough and then created a full feeling after just a few sips.

Cane stopped as the boy walked up and gave a nod as his greeting. When asked about his father he pointed in a direction.

"That way. He is doing his own morning training and will be back later." Cane explained, then pointed to the track. "The warm up is the same as yesterday. A few laps around the track, then we are working out our upper body and core today." The boy added, giving a basic explanation of today's schedule before gesturing for the elf to follow him as he started jogging. This time he slowed down his pace for the boy. He had done enough laps for it to be acceptable at this point anyway.

Naril looked in the direction the other boy pointed towards but just shrugged, deciding he will not announce his arrival only to disturb him, he will see him here when he comes back. They are not in a hurry. Nodding, the elven boy quickly joined Cane on the track and started to jog. This was the easy part of course. Elves naturally have nice endurance and speed, which of course Naril lacked but his body was still suited for it. This didn't mean he sped up because he knew if he did... He would very easily tire out. He lacked stamina...

* * *

Little did the training duo know that they were watched from afar.

Light brown eyes gazed upon them among the thick green foliage, tracking the duo as they ran lap after lap on the make-shift track. The rough fingers tightened on the tree's branch its owner was sitting on, overlooking the small clearing. The distance was great enough to be completely invisible for the senses of the young people below. Elven ears quickly picked up the chit-chat between them and mulled over each question that was asked to the elfling.

Feoton did say he will let his son participate in the training but he did not trust them enough to let him do so without him watching over him. So here he was now, observing their little pass-time. He has done so for the past few days, ever since he met the ent father and he told him about the program they want to go through with Naril. He did not trust the training as it suggested violence. But neither did he trust the man.

To him, as a native elf, they were too strange. He never saw people like this. Bulky body, deep voice, angry looking eyes, dark skin. It reminded him of the stories told about the foul creatures the migrating elves told him about. Orcs. Some of them were just as lumbering, walking with the same gait. While he clearly was no orc, he felt very protective over his only child. He had been waiting for his birth for a thousand years and won't let anyone touch him in the wrong manner or teach him things he was not yet ready for.

He will be there to determine the safety of this training of theirs.

* * *

A few rounds around the track and they were finally ready. Cane looked around. His father still hadn't arrived yet. No matter. He waved for the boy to follow him and went over to a tree. He checked to make sure the branch was strong enough before turning to Naril.

"Alright back home we used to use a punching bag for this but we will just have to improvise here." He said, then patted his abdomen. "I need you to punch right here. Don't go too low or high. Don't worry. I will be fine. This is to help get your arms warmed up before my dad works the life out of them." He said, then jumped up catching a low hanging branch and allowed himself to hang from it. This sounded strange but Cane knew already he would be fine. Naril still lacked the power to do him any real harm. His thick body structure would prove very useful for this.

* * *

The frown that already decorated the face of the ellon only deepened and soon his brown eyes widened at the mere mention of violence from the ent boy. His grip on the branch tightened and clenched his jaw. He was taken aback that right after he talked about this matter with the father... the son would rush this like that.

Naril was a pure elven child. The mere mention of hurting people was foreign to him. How dare he go against the agreement they had with his father and ask his son to perform such an act? Perhaps they are not entirely certain about what violence all entailed? His fatherly instincts told him to jump in, grab Naril's hand and lead him away from that boy. But another part of him wanted to know just how far they will bring this. Will they realize what they are asking of him? Will Naril feel forced to do it?

* * *

All Naril did was stare at him and blink, frowning after a while after Cane suggested he starts punching his stomach.

"Are you sure about that?" He asked, looking down at the rather muscled stomach, still not sure what to do. He didn't like the idea of punching anyone. He never wanted to harm anyone until they harm him. This boy didn't do anything against him, so had a hard time bringing himself to even accept this. "This seems so wrong..." He whispered, now looking up to meet Cane's gaze, doubt within his eyes. While maybe he wouldn't be able to hurt him, it simply... was just too wrong for him.

Cane raised a brow then smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it's fine. Trust me. If I wasn't sure I wouldn't have told you to do it. Besides, we are going to end up sparring later once my dad starts teaching you our fighting style, so you are going to have to try and hit me sooner or later anyway." He pointed out to the other child and continued to hang there. He lifted himself up once, doing an almost pull up in order to keep his arms from getting stiff before continuing to wait on the elfling to respond.

"Well... sparring is different..." Naril pointed out, not sounding so sure about this whole offer. "Then you defend yourself but right now it just... looks wrong. You are defenseless. I can't fight something that doesn't want to fight back, even if it is training..." He pressed on and looked around, averting his gaze from the boy. He simply couldn't do it. The boy didn't do anything against him and his mind told him it was wrong to hurt him, punch him or go offensive against him in any way.

Cane raised an eyebrow.

"Should I hit you, then?" He asked, sounding dead serious.

* * *

Feoton's frown turned into a full glare. The mere motion that his son would be hit for no reason just to teach him violence at such a young age made the ellon burn with anger. If anyone hit Naril, he would be there to defend him. Be it by this boy or another. Although, elves would never be this aggressive with one another... The ent child said all this as if it was the most natural thing to say.

Despite everything, however, he did not move just yet. No. He wanted to gather as much knowledge about their behavior as he could before he would stand in front of Will and announce his change of plans. So, the elven father forced himself to listen more...

Just a little more...

* * *

Cane just wanted to help the elf child as much as he could, he assumed. He didn't want to hurt him but if it helped him do what he needed to, then he would. Elves were really strange about the smallest of things. At least that's what he was starting to notice or was this just a Naril thing? He couldn't tell anymore.

"I can hang here as long as it takes, my friend. My dad has made me do this for endurance training before, so this really isn't too hard for me." He said, not seeming bothered at the moment.

Unfortunately for Cane, it indeed was an elf thing, not just Naril. Elven children were the most innocent and pure among all races, the most friendly and considerate, didn't judge and neither did they mean ill to anyone. This of course also softens with age and they learn to fight more aggressively, even learn to kill later. But at his age such things were just... inappropriate for his innocent mind.

"Can I pass?" He asked, raising his hopeful eyes towards Cane, although he suspected he might have no luck with this... But still... How can he hurt someone who didn't do anything against him?

Cane shook his head.

"Sorry but if you don't warm up your arms before my dad gets here, it's going to hurt a lot more than yesterday. This is the best way to do it. It won't hurt me. I promise. To be honest, if you punch too hard you are more likely to just hurt yourself than me..." He said, then thought a moment before dropping down. "Hold on a second." He told him, then ran over to a tree where they keep some of the spare clothes and gear for if it rains during their workout. He pulled out a cloth and ran back. Then he came back and tied it so it covered the boys eyes before jumping back up in the tree again. "Alright. Now think of something that frustrates you. It can be anything. Forget what you are doing for a second and just think on that. When you got that feel focus it into your fist, then let it loose." He said, going over one of the talks his father had used on him when they started. It didn't have to be a person. It could be a thing. Pet peeve. Something about one's self. Anything in this case would work. Then one just lets it out. Hopefully this would help the boy a bit.

The elfling blinked in surprise when suddenly everything went dark and felt the cloth being tied onto his head, covering his eyes. Instinctively, he reached up and touched it, just making sure that not an animal bit into his head like this or something like that. One might never know... He started thinking about what the boy said... Forget what he was about to do? Punching someone who was trying to help him and never did any harm to him? Hmm... It was harder than expected. He just stood there in front of the hanging boy, thinking. Something he hated? Something he found unpleasant and wanted to rid him from it? Well... there was one thing... After a while the boy actually raised his hands to start punching but in the very last moment he grit his teeth and just slumped his shoulders with a defeated sigh.

"I just can't..." He admitted with a heavy sigh, feeling like he was disappointing his friend with this... But no matter how much he tried. He just couldn't.

"Yes you can. You just keep telling yourself you can't." Cane replied bluntly. "Listen, I have been nice about this but most of what I have heard from you has all been negative. 'I can't. I can't.' Have you ever tried saying I CAN for once? It helps more than you might think." He said, trying to assure the boy and point out the fault that he had noticed in him. Unlike the elf, he hadn't taken much notice of the fact he was slower or less good at things. Just that he kept saying the same thing over and over again. It was almost depressing. "You have a lot to offer, my friend. Just stop saying that one phrase and you might do a lot."

Naril sighed and reached up, removing the cloth from his head, staring at him with an annoyed look. He didn't want to repeat himself over and over. They seem to think that he is a human and can change his mind at any time. He is an elf... He is an elven child. The purest, most innocent being on the world. Violence is just too harmful to his own mind, especially the thought of hurting someone who helped him so far, no matter if he was offering the opportunity. His mind simply blocked him before he could even do the first punch.

"I push what I can but this isn't an easy matter. Especially when you were born to not do all this and the only thing you can do is accept and live a happy and innocent childhood until it is time to change and we are left to see the world for what it is, loosening our sync with nature." He pointed out, crossing his arms, glaring at the boy. He was starting to have enough of these lectures. They don't help him.

Cane sighed, then dropped down and looked at Naril.

"I would believe you... if I ever saw you push anything." He replied, finally putting his hands in his shorts pockets. "I haven't seen you push for anything, so you are hard to believe. You must also understand... the world we come from, there is no link to nature anymore. Your kind left or died in our world a long time ago. All that is left is to learn to fight at a young age. They have to or they very well might end up killed. This innocence you talk about... I never had it. So to ask us to just understand... you are asking too much of someone who hardly knows you." He said, then moved to step around him.

"You don't have to know me, just elves in general." Naril pointed out, watching the boy as he jumped down now, his gaze then landed on the floor with a shrug. "Here it is different. You get to preserve all of that here. If anything... you have to preserve it because you can't do it another way. I am pushing myself enough by now. Normally my kind doesn't indulge in such training and I do what I can physically. But I don't have much choice when it comes to the mental boundaries." He explained, sighing once. "Perhaps we should make a small pause until you learn about my kind? To make it easier and both of us can understand the other." He suggested, although he knew the answer will be 'no'. These people are really pushy... And they are also unintentionally offensive. Well, he knew they didn't mean to but if they don't want to learn anything about his kind, then how do they even want to teach him? How would they know his true boundaries?

Cane actually seemed to think this over before shaking his head.

"Nah. The best way to learn is by experience. This may not be very pleasant but my dad and I are learning just as much as you are. When you think about it, you are kind of the one training us in elven culture while we are training you." He replied with a shrug. "Besides... It's nice to have someone to talk to." He added a little more quietly before shaking his head thinking that sounded too sappy. He looked around, trying to figure out any other way to help his friend work out his arms before his father got here. "Lie down on your back and put your arms straight out at your sides. I have an idea." He instructed.

Naril smiled when the boy expressed that he values his presence. That is true. He never talked as much before than he is now. Even if it is mostly just whining and explaining something the umpteenth time. Hearing the unusual request, Naril frowned but trusted Cane so did as he was told, wondering what he planned. He just hoped this won't be anything painful... He will have enough of that the rest of the day... He was still not at his best form because of yesterday's workout. Even if the massage soothed most of the pain and tension, he still felt the burden of it.

Cane sat down cross legged above Naril's head then put his hands a little above the other's wrists. "Alright I want you to tense up your arms and very slowly bring them up and together. Make sure to keep them straight. It should take about... 20 seconds or so at least. Then you are going to bring them back down just as slowly. Take a second to breath before starting it all over again." He instructed. He knew the boy would likely not think this exercise was nearly as hard as it really was but he would quickly be proven wrong. Because one's arms were moving so slowly in the end they become he weights against themselves. After a few times doing this, it begins to hurt just as badly as if one were lifting real weights.

The elfling blinked and frowned, moving his gaze to look at Cane, indeed thinking that this was at least something he can do rather easily and perhaps it won't be as unpleasant as yesterday's exercises. He did as he told him, raising and lowering his arms as he instructed. At first it went indeed as easily as he thought, however it became harder after a few repeats and indeed he started to struggle. In the end he wondered just how long they are going to do this... he hoped not for long...

Cane seemed to be content to just let the boy do this for a while but he perked up when he sensed his dad coming. "You can stop now." He said and waved as his dad walked up.

The older man looked at them, pleased to see that his son was doing what he could to help the younger elf boy.

"You might as well stay down, Naril. You too, Cane. You won't need your legs for the exercises today." He told them. Now, it was his turn to train them.

* * *

"You are done for the day. That was a cool down exercise. We are going home now." Will told the boys, letting them now that they could finally relax. They have been doing some weight-lifting with rocks to train their muscles more, which left the elfling as exhausted as the past days he was if not more. He was left with numb hands and stomach. He then knelt down before lifting the boy he was sure was far too tired to walk the way back home and he started walking himself.

"Come on. I am sure you must be hungry by now. Mom is making spaghetti squash tonight. Lilly's birthday is tomorrow, so she let her pick dinner." Cane added as he ran and grabbed some cloths, tossing one to his dad who gave it to Naril so he could brush off some of the sweat.

"Lilly's birthday is tomorrow?" The elven child asked, looking at the other boy, raising an eyebrow. He didn't know that. Well... they only know each other for a few days, maybe this is the third day since they first talked... Aside from the celebration when they did run around together with the others and played. But they didn't talk much then. "How do you celebrate birthdays? Surely not the same way as elves..." He guessed. So far, this family was just far too different from their own, so surely it also must differ. Just like the food. It was... funny. Funny but good. Less satisfying though and one needed a little more of it to get full.

"It varies depending on age and what the person likes." Cane replied as they started walking. "Lilly celebrates hers a little differently than normal. Normally, back home we have a party with friends and family. Have a few games, the person's favorite foods and a cake of some kind, then they get gifts. However, Lilly doesn't usually make friends and she would rather give gifts than receive them, so normally what happens is she will spend all the previous day making presents for everyone she knows, then will spend her whole birthday giving them out." He explained, knowing that no matter where they lived his sister's ways of celebrating her own day was odd. However, they knew better than to try throwing her a party or do any of the normal things. They tried that one year and all she did was spend the whole day taking care of all the guests. Like the party was for them and not her. In a way they liked this in the little girl. It made her all that much sweeter.

"Strange..." Naril murmured, finding it indeed quite odd. "Even at elves the one in the center of attention is the one having their birthday. Normally the relatives celebrate with those who have their birthdays on the same day, so not separately. Though, they don't throw parties, there are gifts given, if chosen they can have a dinner together but it is rare. What makes an elven birthday special is that everyone who knows the person blesses them in their own way, gives them gifts at the same time that are small but can be kept with them without being seen. Mostly it was a necklace or bracelet made from natural materials." Well... fresh ones... Asking a tree of living leaves and one of its thin yet flexible branches is not an easy task, seeing the tree herders are very protective but... They always manage. "She never gets any presents? Have you wondered and asked why she does this?"

Will thought this over then smiled a bit as he remembered. However he got a better idea.

"How about you ask her yourself? She always gives the same answer whenever someone asks." He said as they finally stepped up to the house.

The house smelled of spaghetti sauce and squash. It was one of the few dishes they made that wasn't spicy but there were various herbs and spices in the sauce that gave it an extra kick.

Lilly saw them walk in and grinned before jumping down from the stool she had been standing on. She had been watching her mother cook the sauce. It was always fun to watch her mommy cook in her opinion. She ran right to Naril, tackling him in a hug.

"Naril! You're awake this time!" She said, happy her father didn't overdo it again.

The elfling blinked and looked forward when he heard the door open and the pattering of feet. He was even then too late to react as the little girl came flying, successfully making him fall to the ground with her right with him. He really didn't know what to do or say... Such hyperactive way of happiness was unheard of; no one was this delighted to see him again. Mainly because he never was away for too long. He gasped when they met the ground, unable to block the fall with his hands. He could barely feel them, let alone use them for something like this. To say the least it kind of felt good to be missed and greeted like this. So, he giggled in return but didn't say anything. He wanted to save energy instead to not pass out. That he was walking doesn't mean he is less tired.

Lilly giggled down at him as she pushed herself up.

"You came just in time. Mommy is just finishing dinner." She said with a grin and jumped up, grabbing his hand in order to help him up to his feet. Once he was righted again she ran off and back to her mother. The way she was acting you would never know tomorrow was the little girl's birthday. She wasn't doing what most little kids her age do. Going about squealing, counting down the hours or cheering about their future age. It seemed like to her it was just another day.

Lilly's mother smiled, then handed Lilly a large bowl with the spaghetti squash in it. A squash that's insides had a tendency to be stringy like spaghetti noodles and when cooked made a very tasty replacement. Lilly loved it and her mother's sauce made it that much better.

The boy just stared at her, then met the gaze of Cane and the father before shrugging, finding her cheerful behavior strange. Tackling him like that... He wondered if she did that to every friend she made. When they came in the house, the scent of the food met his nose. He knew that one. His family sometimes cooks such a thing as well, although rarely and his mother tends to use various other ingredients that make it filling -just like every elven food- and mild in taste. His kind is after all very sensitive to taste. He eyed the sauce suspiciously, thinking it might be something heavily spiced just like the last meal but of course he will be polite and eat of that as well. Who knows... it might be tasty.

Once the table was set Lilly ran up and grabbed his hand and tugged him over to the table.

Her mother laughed lightly before taking up her usual spot along with the rest of her family, excluding Rosa who had told them earlier that she would be having dinner at her mentor's house tonight. Once the food was served, everyone started eating.

Lilly ate with chopsticks. The noodle-like food was perfect with chopsticks. Cane didn't seem hungry. He had made the mistake of swallowing the part of the leaf his father gave him and like they were warned it had filled him up.

All Naril could do was smile a little awkwardly and looked at the food, quickly thanking for the invite of course. Though, as usual it is when one over-works in exercises, he wasn't all that hungry but it would be very rude to refuse the food. So, he only chose to eat a little. Having seen what happened with the leaf, he turned towards Cane and gestured towards the water that was placed on the table.

"It will feel cold right now but if you drink enough the feeling might be gone sooner. It depends on your stomach as well." He suggested with a smile, then looked at his food again.

Cane did as instructed, sipping at the water. It felt like he was drinking straight ice but he didn't comment on it. He just kept drinking the water slowly.

Will chuckled at this and continued to eat. He had a feeling Naril was not going to ask Lilly the question, so he decided to go ahead and do it himself.

"Lilly. Why is it you give out gifts on your birthday?" He questioned, looking at her briefly before returning to his food.

Lilly gave him a strange look, wondering why he would ask a question. He already knew the answer to but shrugged it off.

"Because, you silly head, my life is a gift and I want to share it with everyone." She said with a huge smile, eating some more of her dinner.

Naril looked at the father when he asked the question he was meant to ask and turned his gaze to Lilly when she answered. It was a rather cute and very wise answer for a little girl at her age. Despite him looking nearly as young as her, he was twice her age and had the time to develop a bit more. Hence why he was surprised about it.

Lilly looked towards her friend, noticing he was looking at her. She raised a brow, then smiled back at him.

"I already got your gift but is there anything you really want?" She asked curiously. She was being quite serious and she expecting a serious answer. She would hate to give him a gift he wouldn't like. Elves tend to be too nice, so he wouldn't say if he didn't like whatever she gave him.

To say the least, the elfling was rather surprised when she said this. He didn't expect a gift of course, seeing she only knew him since a couple of days. He surely didn't deserve a gift. She doesn't really know him; neither does he know her truly... But then again, this is what his people act like. No one is an enemy or a stranger. Everyone is a friend, a supporter and someone you can rely on in good and bad times. Either to cheer one up, make one laugh or to soothe one's troubled mind. He couldn't help but smile.

"I already got my gift." He nodded, his smile brightening. "That you became my friend." Naril had some friends. They were there to play and learn along with him but they didn't quite understand him and his situation. It was clear that none of them understood that he was different than most of them and it somehow... bothered him. Lilly was truly a happy-go-lucky child who -no matter what- accepted him the way he was, with his faulty skills and all. He didn't need to push himself around her. Her company was a relief of the life of the elves.

Lilly's eyes widened at the reply. That had not been expected. No one had ever said such a thing to her before. Her eyes watered and she started to sniffle. Before she knew it, she started crying, not able to help herself, then tackled him yet again, hugging him tightly.

"I'm so happy I met you too!" She cried into his shoulder. Both parents were a little surprised by her reaction. It wasn't often Lilly just broke down from something that wasn't because of violence.

Cane also blinked but didn't say anything. What could he say? His sister was just... touched.

Honestly, at first Naril thought he said something wrong and watched her carefully, ready to apologize if she started to cry but didn't have the opportunity because she tackled him again, making him fall slightly backwards, this time however he was able to stop their fall midway with his elbow. His apology also wasn't needed as it seems, since she didn't cry because of sadness of by being offended. He didn't know what to say or do at first, never having met such a situation but knew one thing... He slowly sat up fully again before wrapping his arms around her crying form, smiling at her. He didn't know that alone such a sentence would make her burst in tears... Is her kind this sensitive? No... Her brother and father surely aren't...

Holly finally pulled out of her shock and smiled a little, then looked to her husband having a silent conversation yet again before he nodded and looked at them.

"Take the day off tomorrow but still drop by the house. Lilly will need help handing her gifts out, I'm sure." He said and smiled when Lilly perked up a little at this.

"Do you mind?" She asked him hopefully. Will knew his daughter would like that. He couldn't exactly give her a gift, knowing she wouldn't want it but he could do nice things for her instead and seeing how she acted around the elf boy, he found he could give the child a free day. If only this once.

Naril smiled at this, finding it a relief actually, having a free day and something told him this won't happen again, so he better uses that day well.

"Of course. I'd love to." He replied, giving her a smile, agreeing to come over and help her with what she needed. Although she said she didn't want any presents, he already knew he will give her one. It isn't something big, neither something incredibly expensive. But that didn't mean it wasn't valuable. So, in order to give her this he needed to come over anyway.

Lilly squealed happily and hugged him tightly before jumping up.

"I'm going to sleep right now!" She said happily before rushing off to bed.

Cane facepalmed.

"... She still believes that the sooner you go to bed the sooner tomorrow comes." He explained his little sister's actions and finally started to eat, his stomach feeling less full finally. He knew he wouldn't eat much and then tomorrow his stomach would feel so empty he would likely gorge before training in the morning.

All Naril could do was open his mouth to reply but she was already gone before he could even ask where she is going off like that.

"If it is true or false is a matter of perspective, my mother always says." He replied, in the same time pointing out to them that this isn't a foreign belief among the elves if they have such explanations. "It is false towards those who are not sleeping but are aware of the time. BUT true to those who sleep and forget it, only waking up as if they jumped in time." He finished and smiled, remembering what his mother told him a while back. He himself believed in it but only because he held it true. Tomorrow truly comes sooner if one falls asleep sooner and doesn't wake up until tomorrow. Then time is irrelevant.

The mother laughed lightly.

"You sound so much like my old philosophy teacher back in Middle-Earth. It is just too cute." She said, patting his head lightly.

Cane was across the table, trying to wrap his head around what the elf said. To him, not a lick of it made sense but then again he held true to science. That time still passed no matter if one was asleep or not. One doesn't have to be aware for this fact to be true. He would have to ponder this over. He liked brainteasers, though, so he didn't mind.

Naril tilted his head a little when she compared him to one of her teachers. Hmm... He wondered if teachers have the same intelligence as an elven child? Education is a very sensitive and important part of life among the elves. One never stops learning for a moment. There are always new things to discover and memorize.

"Thank you for the hospitality and the amazing food." He quickly thanked, said his goodbye properly and left with the promise that he will come back tomorrow.

* * *

The next day started out per usual.

The men were gone from the house at sun rise, however this time Lilly woke up early. She wasn't usually a morning person, however today she had made it happen by stealing Rosa's phone and setting the alarm clock so she would wake up on time. She yawned and mulled around the house cutely, her mind still half asleep as she found some leftover rice cakes, what was left of that honey flower Naril gave her and the juice. Sugar. Sugar was the way to wake up a sleepy child. She would be bouncy for a while but by the time it wore off she would be naturally awake for the day.

As promised, Naril walked down the path towards the house of the Razorleaf family. He had his little present all hidden, nice and sweet, only to be given at the right time. He closed his eyes and sighed, taking in the warming rays of the sun and the fresh air, opening his eyes halfway, bowing to the elk who was still sitting somewhere near the house and bowed his head back in return to the greeting. The boy made his way to the door and knocked on it, hoping he wasn't disturbing anyone's sleep.

Lilly was the one to answer, half a rice cake hanging out of her mouth. She looked at him for a second, her tired nature showing. She finished the sweet treat, yawned cutely and looked at him for another second for it seemed to hit her who she was looking at. A huge smile lit up her whole face and like before she tackled him.

"Naril! You came! I'm so glad!" She said happily. The boy seemed to have finally woken up the sleepy little girl. That or the sugar just kicked in.

At first, Naril just stared back at her with a smile and the moment she launched herself at him the boy was actually this time prepared and flexed his muscles in his legs to catch the fall and just needed to step back once to balance himself, then wrapped an arm around her. "Of course I did. I promised, didn't I?" He chuckled.

"Not everyone keeps their promises." The little girl said honestly, then let go and ran inside. "Come on! We have a lot of presents to deliver! This will take all day if we don't hurry!" She called back, running into her room.

The elfling blinked at the comment in surprise.

"What? Why wouldn't they? A promise is a-..." The boy trailed off when they reached her room. The room was covered in gifts. The little girl had spent a long time making each one. Each gift was also different too but one couldn't tell because they were wrapped up in huge fallen leaves she had put together. She had two rather large ones too, likely meant for her tree herder family. Those would probably be the hardest to deliver but she planned to do it anyway. He never saw so many in one room to say the least. He closed his mouth and stared at the scene before him, reaching up to scratch his head, wondering if they can truly deliver this all today. It looked like the whole city is going to get presents... "Wow..." Was all he could say and stepped closer, looking around now fully. "You made all this? Must have taken you quite a long time..."

Lilly smiled and nodded.

"Yes. Started last week and been working on them every time I had free time. I got to work on them all day yesterday too, so I got a lot done." She said proudly. "I normally don't have to make this many but I met so many people and I was worried if I left anyone out they might get sad so I made as many as I could. Stupid Fieven and a lot of the other children went on that hunting trip, though, so I guess I will have to hold onto their gifts until they get back." She said, pointing to a pile in a corner. Despite them all being wrapped up in the same kind of leaves, she seemed to know which one was which and who they went to. "Oh, I have your gift too but it's kind of fragile so I'm going to give it to you later when we are finished. Alright?" She asked, hoping he wouldn't mind waiting.

Naril whistled at the revelation and stepped in more, trying to determine which one they will be moving first.

"That is a lot." He finally replied, looking around, unable to see any names written on the presents and wondered how she could even tell them all apart... He couldn't help but giggle when she commented on Fieven and all the other children. Though, he wondered if she made gifts for everyone she met and not just for close friends. Because this is indeed a lot... However, it wasn't his place to question her, neither did he want to offend her in any way. Especially not on this special day. If she wanted to gift so many, then she will gift so many and he will help her out as best as he could... But still... As children there is not much they can carry... unless... "Maybe we could ask Lord if he wants to help us carrying? It would speed this up significantly." He offered with a shrug, gesturing towards the window which faced the elk that was merrily munching on a batch of green grass.

Lilly thought about his idea for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"Alright! I think Lord would be willing to help. If not I will pout him into it." She said with a grin, having realized Lord -despite everything- was a sap for the little girl's cute pout. "Even with him this will at least take 3 trips, not including Silentbark's present and Lord is kind of old, so he might have to rest a while between trips." She pointed out but despite this she picked up a gift and ran outside to the Elk.

"Lord! It's my birthday today. Here is your gift. Do you mind helping us deliver the other ones?" She asked. He had watched her make many of the gifts, so she was sure he knew about them already. However she had been extra careful not to let him see the gift she had made for him. Inside was a block of sugar oats she had her mother help her make. She knew Lord liked oats and seemed to love sugar cubes, so she thought he would love his favorite treats put together.

Lord looked up from the grass and perked his ears when she called out for him, giving out a strange noise he usually used as a call back, telling her that he heard and acknowledged her call. He perked his ears and tilted his head when she told him she had her birthday today. He honestly didn't know that her kind or anyone celebrated that day. He never celebrated his or any elk for that matter. If anything, birthdays are a sad thing... since they get older... and less powerful. This is why he lost to that young stag. He had too many birthdays. Though, seeing her cheerful attitude, he eventually looked at his present, which indeed happened to be something he rather liked. Not wasting time, the animal dug right in, munching on the content happily with his tail twitching, enjoying the taste. Now that he got something, he was far more willing to help as much as his age lets him.

Lilly laughed, petting his head, glad he liked it.

"Hurry, Naril! Before he changes his mind!" She said as she ran off back into the house. She got the biggest sack she could find and filled it full of as many presents as she could, making sure to avoid the pile in the corner of the room and the pile resting on the night stand beside her bed. The latter was for her family and Naril. She would give those out later in the day after all the rest of her work was done and all her family members were home again.

The elf gasped at this and quickly ran back into the house as well. He wasn't sure what presents to pack in, so made sure to only put in those from which pile she was grabbing them. He also made sure to carry a good amount of them on his own but first helped Lilly get the sack out and onto the back of the elk.

Lord was in the mean time trying to make it easy for them, so laid down, waiting for them to come out and put the sack onto his back. Once it was done, he slowly and carefully got up and judged the weight if he can carry it. It was heavy but not all too heavy.

Naril also picked up a few more gifts from her room and decided to carry those himself.

"Alright, I am ready to go." He told her with a smile. But still... he hoped he gets to unload these soon...

Lilly squealed and nodded, waving for Lord to follow them and headed right into the village.

After that the little girl didn't seem to stop moving. The little herder would take a present from Naril, look it over a second, then take off seeming to realize who it was for. Eventually she came to a present meant for the shop keeper who taught Rosa all she knew about sewing. She grinned, then ran to the stand and held out the gift.

Rosa by this time had made it there for work and smiled, already knowing what was going.

"Hello ma'am. It's my birthday. Here is your gift." She said happily. She had Rosa help her with this one. Rosa had told her how nice the shop keeper had been to her and so they spent some time making a little pillow full of seeds that said 'Thank you for being you.' on it. Lilly was too little to use a needle yet but she knew exactly what she wanted to make and gave Rosa very specific instructions. That's how she always did it. If she couldn't make a gift herself she would make sure whoever was helping her had the right instructions and followed them to the T.

The elf didn't even realize that they will get guests, as she was right now dealing with a customer and by the time she turned around the little girl was already standing there, holding out the gift to her. She looked at her confused, tilting her head slightly.

"But it is your birthday. People gift you, not the other way around, sweety." She smiled, looking at the gift, then back at her. Something told her there must be more to this but decided to not ask about that just yet.

Lilly shook her head. She had gotten this from a number of elves already. They didn't seem to understand but considering no one back home got it either that was no surprise to her.

"Nu-uh. My life is a gift and I want to share it with everyone. So I give out gifts on my birthday. It makes everyone smile which makes me really happy." She said with a grin and continued to hold the gift out. She was obviously excited about this, wanting to see the woman open the gift and see what she would think of it. She didn't know a lot about elves yet so part of her worried she might end up insulting someone by mistake.

The woman didn't say anything, just smiled at her, finding this gesture cute actually. Such a little selfless girl... The world back in Middle-Earth lacked them even when she and her family lived there. She wondered how this girl managed to preserve such an honorable behavior while the world around her was rotting away slowly... Shaking her head a little, she reached out and took the gift from her gently, opening it to see the content. It was simple and could see the work of Rosa in that but it was given by Lilly nonetheless. She couldn't help but let her smile brighten at the sight, thanking the gift and put it down on her table. Before Lilly could bolt from the shop, she stepped in front of her.

"As it is your birthday, I will give you a gift of mine as well." She told her, then reached out and put both of her hands on her cheek on either side, then leaned down and whispered something melodic in elvish, in the end kissed her forehead gently, before letting her go. "We bless every birthday child and adult with luck until it lasts. The more people you hold dear you have, the luckier you will be in the future." She explained with a smile, showing her that gifts in friendship, emotions and blessings were far more important than materials, then slowly sat down at the table.

Lilly was caught off guard but in the end smiled and hugged the woman.

"Thank you! I will never forget!" She said happily before running off to continue her gift giving.

Rosa smiled as she watched the little girl run off.

"... Thank you for allowing her to give you her gift. She gets rather upset when they are rejected." She said honestly, remembering back in Middle-Earth the humans would be so confused by the gesture and many would turn the girl down. Lilly would end up in tears, not able to understand why they didn't want the gift. "It means a lot to her to be able to share whatever she can with others. It mostly stems from her not believing her life is her own but a gift she got from another tree herder." She added, remembering when Lilly was very little.

"What she believes in is actually partially true." The woman said and reached out to take the cloth back what she worked on, then returned to her job. "Our own lives are a gift from our parents. And your parents are descendants of tree herders. So, it is right." She said, looking over the fabric. "She is very cute and selfless with this belief. However, one has to make sure to keep this all in bay. If she gives too much, she might regret it later. Just an advice. A little selfishness is always required. It is just natural. The way we work and live."

"Heh... it is more true than that even..." She admitted, stopping and going through a transaction before turning back to her mentor. "It is hard to tell, looking at her now but when she was little... Lilly had a bad heart and lungs. Sadly this does happen in our species... normally if we are born this way we don't make it past the first year... Lilly proved everyone wrong, though. She lived past everyone's expectations but because of it she wasn't allowed to come home. It wasn't until she turned 3 that in a way we finally got lucky with a new heart for her. The surgery was done and even though her lungs are still rather weak she was able to finally come home. However, she seemed to understand just how lucky she really was and from there on she started doing... this. She seems to know that someone else had to die in order for her to live. It sounds sad but I've never seen her cry over it. So, I guess it's alright."

"Oh... I haven't noticed that..." The elleth said, looking up at the girl with a frown. "She was running around without trouble with the others the other day and at the celebration. Her lungs seem to be fine." She told her, then looked back at her work before putting it down, going over to the shelf to look for a new thread with a new color. "And how can someone get a new heart? Is this even possible? Is this even... I am sorry for what I say but... Is this even right to go against nature's will?" She asked carefully, not wanting to offend her. Elves surely were intelligent enough to do all that the humans did but... They prefer not to. Most of these medical treatments go against nature in every way. If someone is born sick... then they don't do anything to change that. Nature simply doesn't deem that child lively enough and they die because if they would save that sick child... then he or she will have their own children, transferring this sickness deeper into the race of elves. So they knew to let nature decide the fate of the living.

"Not since we got here. No. Part of the reason we came here was for Lilly but don't tell her that. The air here is cleaner and not only that but the magic seems to have made her body that much stronger. She has been far more energetic than I have ever seen her before." Rosa admitted, happy for this. Back home Lilly would have had to use her inhaler and take her medications regularly in order to do half of what she had done so far. However this world seemed to be doing her a lot of good. When asked if this was right Rosa had to think. "Honestly? I don't think it was nature's will for her to die. If so then she would not have lived as long as she did. The majority of our kind who are born like she was don't last nearly that long. Our bodies also won't accept any parts not of our own kind. If she was meant to die then I don't think nature would have allowed things to go the way they did. I just think... maybe nature wanted Lilly to be the way she is now. I'm not sure why but... Lilly is probably the most caring, loving and motherly person I have ever met. Maybe there is someone that she is supposed to help someday." Rosa suggested, knowing this sounded farfetched but something in her just couldn't believe that nature wanted her sister to die.

"Fate is indeed unpredictable." The shop keeper concluded, smiling as she sat down to continue her work. "No one knows if she was meant to live by nature's rules. We elves follow her guide. If a child is born sick, then something is wrong. And this wrong... might seep into our race if they live long enough to have their own children who will carry this same sickness. Of course we don't kill the sick children but wait and see. If they survive and heal, then they are meant to live. If not... then nature solves it in her own way." She explained, trying to sound as soft as she could. She didn't want her to think that she questioned her survival or thought Lilly should have died. Oh no. She was only explaining to her what they believe in.

Rosa nodded and thought it over. If she was honest, there was a lot going against Lilly at one point and she likely would have died if left alone but when she looked at Lilly... even back then, the little girl was very stubborn and strong willed. Maybe that alone would have been enough.

"I guess we will have to see what nature decides in the end, then." She said with a smile, turning back to her own work.

* * *

 _\- Sometime later -_

After spending the whole day giving out gifts, then dragging Silentbark's gift out only to find out the tree herders weren't even in the area and they would have to wait until they got back they were finally finished. Lilly sat leaning back against Lord officially worn out. She had never had to give THAT many gifts out before. It had been a lot of fun, though. She smiled over at her friend.

"I think we made a lot of people very happy today." She said, obviously pleased with how today's events went.

Lord wasn't better off. He had been dragging all the gifts around and now his age finally caught up to him, so was lying on the ground, panting a little, his head laid out on front of him, relaxing all muscles he had in his body. He closed his eyes to rest a little but let Lilly and Naril lean against him if they wished. He just couldn't move anymore and didn't have the energy to listen to the conversation.

Naril on the other hand chuckled in return, also sitting next to her, leaning against Lord as well, his arms lying limply on his stomach, resting them.

"It was quite the trip. They all were very happy. But the happiest person should be you." He commented, then closed his eyes, sighing, trying to get rid of this fatigue. He still needed to get used to all this work with strength and stamina. Even this trip tired him out...

Lilly stroked Lord's head in a sympathetic manner. She would have to remember to ask her mama to give him extra oats for all the work he did today. When she heard Naril's comment she smiled at him and nodded.

"I am very happy when I see other people are happy." She admitted before remembering something. "Oh! I nearly forgot yours! Stay here and close your eyes! I will be right back. Don't move." She said, getting up and running into the house to get his gift.

The elf raised an eyebrow and watched as she left. Yes, he naturally didn't expect any gifts, especially not on her own birthday... but... he was still a child who was naturally curious about such things. He wondered what she made him or what she found. He knew it wasn't something big or expensive but it was just as valuable as what he will give her. What counts is the thought behind it. This is what every elf thought. What he was told, those in Middle-Earth only cared about how much they spent on the present. The more one gives up for it, the more they like the present... Not the nicest way of thinking.

Lilly came back and made sure his eyes were shut before she walked up and took his wrist. She grinned, sitting back.

"Alright. Open them." She said. Around his wrist was a bracelet. The band was rather simple. A basic thick string that would make sure that the real prize that was on it wouldn't fall off. It was rather small but there was a stone in the shape of a heart that changed color as one tilted it. Lilly grinned. "I found it not long after we got here. I wanted to give it to someone special. Who better than my best friend?" She said rather pleased. She had taken a lot of time with this one, making sure the rope was long enough and braided extra tight so there was no chance of it unraveling anytime soon and she -of course- cleaned and polished the stone as much as she could before getting her brother to help her create the hole through it for the rope to go through. She had been so scared her brother might break it but it turned out very well.

The elfling looked at his wrist, having felt that she was doing something there and smiled when he saw the bracelet. He raised his hand to look at it more, finding the rainbow stone a nice addition. It was simple indeed, many would be disappointed by such a gift, however Naril couldn't stop smiling and looked up at her, clearly touched and happy that she found him worthy enough to call him as her best friend. He only had friends so far... no best friends. But now, he has one. And he will make sure to never let go.

"Thank you. Now, it is your turn." He told her and gestured for her to close her eyes before doing the same thing she did, binding his own bracelet onto her wrist, then letting it go and told her to open her eyes. The bracelet was simple but yet complex. It was made without any strings. The main body was a thin flexible branch, the different kind of leaves and colorful feathers were bound there by the peeled off outside layer of the branch itself. It had no stones on it, since the real prize was not visible. It took him a while until he found a tree who let him pick off some of its leaves and break off a branch, since such bracelets can be only made of fresh materials. The birds were more than happy to donate a feather or two. "It is called the Lucky Charm. It looks simple, I know but while what you gave me had its main feature on the outside, mine has it in the inside." He explained and pointed towards the bracelet. "It has a charm on it, that we call the Secret Charm. A blessing to be precise. No one knows how it truly works, as its effect is a secret itself only known by the elders. All they say about it is a part of the charming itself. 'If you are lost, fear no more. Light shall grace your path into your future and defend you from all that is dark."

Lilly was surprised as he gave her a gift. She opened her eyes and looked to the bracelet. Even without the charm she would have loved it. She looked at it for a moment before hugging her wrist to her chest. She thought over the charm, smiling.

"I think I have an idea what it means." She said, then hugged him tightly. "This is the best present anyone has ever gotten me. I will keep it forever." She said, meaning to never lose this special gift she was given. Normally if it was anyone else she would have instantly tried to give the gift back or given it to someone else but this time she chose to keep this gift. Something in her just could not bring herself to let it go.

Naril chuckled and smiled as she embraced him, gladly returning it.

"I am happy that you like it. Friends forever?" He asked, only wanting to confirm. Of course they are friends, even best friends as she expressed it but it is his way of reassuring himself and promising that they would never fight and never go against each other. They will stay friends forever. He looked at the bracelet on his wrist, then smiled and moved it next to hers. It was like exchanging friend bracelets, both of these representing the other and their eternal friendship.

Lilly grinned up at him and nodded before taking his pinky with her own.

"Pinky promise. Friends forever." She said, very much believing they would be friends for the rest of time. She did not yet understand the differences between their two species and the hardships they would later have to go through. Honestly, she didn't care. As far as she was concerned there was no difference between them.

When she looked at the boy next to her she didn't see an elf.

Just her best friend.

That was more than enough for her.

* * *

 **aaaaaand... CUT!**

 **This, ladies and gentlemen... is the end of the excruciatingly long prologue of the book :D**

 **Readers: But CA Productions... If the prologue is this long... How long will the whole book be?**

 **CA Productions: Well... Good question. We are still roleplaying it ._.**

 _CA Productions_


	11. The Beast Escaped

**We are sure you noticed that instead of 12, we now had 10 chapters and our new chapter is not 13 but 11. We finally finished our chapter revamps.**

 **What changed?**

 **We realized that Rosa and Fieven took too much space, so removed them, although there will be small references to them. But do not worry, for those who liked the story, you must not be sad. Their story will be published as a side-story and will be updated according to the timeline in connection to this book.**

 **All chapters were carefully edited to be at least 10k words (with more or less success -shrinks back from angry mob-). So make sure to give another go at what was already published. New details were added here and there.**

 **Due to some changes in what we plan in character count, we cannot publish our story in bigger chapters than 10k words, otherwise we would catch up too soon or we would need to update only every 3 weeks. But who has the time fo' dat?**

 **Besides, with the prologue done, the real action can begin.**

 **Without further ado...**

* * *

 **Cub: *whistles as she pulls a fresh cake out of the oven. she then sticks a pie in the oven and walks away.***

 **Ren: *pops his head in. Sniffs the cake.* How dare she not make me more cookies?**

 ***About 25 minutes later.***

 **Cub: *walks in and jaw drops. There was now cake everywhere! The ceiling. Walls. Somehow In and On the fridge. She twitched.* EVERYONE HERE NOW!**

 **Hyano/Avp/Ren: *All run in.***

 **Cub: Who did it?**

 **Hyano: Uh... not me. I was reading my book.**

 **Avp: You think I would mess up my own house? I am the only one who pays rent here!**

 **Ren: ... I hate cake... *Is covered hood to boot in cake.***

 **Cub: *twitches then takes out the scolding hot pie and throws it at Ren***

 **Ren: *screeches and ducks***

 **Avp: *Gets hit with the pie and cries out before falling over knocked out***

 **Hyano: *cringes* See this is why we don't let Cub cook... Enjoy the show everyone!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 11 - The Beast Escaped

*drip*

...

*drip*

Outer Earth...

*drip*

The new world they call Outer-Earth was fresh. Its ground had no forcefully taken blood flowing on it. No rivers of the disgusting fluid bathed its surface. No wars brewed... The people were unaware. Yes... It was fresh, just right and ripe for the picking...

*drip*

The people were too comfortable, their guard was down, not prepared for any kind of aggression. Why would anyone attack them? Only elves populated this world. They were strangely united... Not like Man. The race of Man was so easily influenced. Their mind was weak, they naturally followed the strongest among them. Like orcs. Only, perhaps, more intelligent. As foolish and petty they were... they could find many servants among them who did their bidding for a couple of shiny coins. Truly, not great of a price for rolling heads. Where he pointed, they sliced. What made them weak were their emotions. For this, he despised them. They were easy to scare, easy to lose. They had the habit of breaking down only after a few harsh words thrown at them. How weak was that?

*drip*

Emotions...

Emotions were the weakness of all things that could be great at his side. He never understood this unseen force. Reading emotions were now easier for him but understanding them? He gave up on that a long time ago. What he despised about them was that he could not follow them and sometimes they were unseen. Emotions changed with every word that was spoken, with every action that was done without any kind of rule he could make up for them. Sometimes, people had more than one emotion among their expressions, so which one should he concentrate on? Sometimes it even changed without any reason or any indication towards a difference. How? Why? It was confusing and frustrating at the same time.

*drip*

Confusion... Frustration... Yes. Two weeks have passed ever since he and his only servant traversed to this new world with the purpose of overtaking it and were locked into this prison in return. He truly did not understand what they were expecting from him. Yes, his servant told him they wish for him to change but what change did they want? Did they expect him to suddenly shed his cloak and walk around like an elf? To be seen? To be the public pet who was to do everything people tell him and yet cannot show any displeasure and if he bit... then he was to be put down? He would not stand for that. Because at the end of the day, he was a Nazgul. The darkest of beings that walked the surface of Arda. No amount of magic flow or persuasion will deter him from fulfilling his mission. His mission, to claim the wide world in the name of his Dark Lord. That was his last command. Until he completed his task... he will not rest.

There comes a drip...

*drip*

Ren found it hard to concentrate...

Ever since their stay in this Morgoth-forsaken cave, he did not have a true refreshing meditation. His mind was exhausted, mainly because of the noise that came from the top of the cave. The wraith knew they had plenty of watch above. The White surely spent a lot of time to stand guard. He could feel his aura all too strongly. If this was not enough irritation, he also had the audacity to sing a disgustingly happy song every now and then. And if it was not the White, then it was some long ear, who either played some kind of annoyingly noisy instrument to pass their time or they had the company of another of their kind. Inside the cave offered enough distractions as well. The space was not exactly dry, the water that soaked the opening from which the stream came constantly dripped onto the stones below. What irritated him was that it only dripped from one single place. If a couple of drips happened in the same manner, he would not care but this single drop in a perfect rhythm... it made his mind want to just shriek and claw his way out of the cave. It echoed so badly... Ren spent quite some time daily to try and dig them away but it was no use. It still dripped... It still echoed through the cave... It still did not let him meditate.

Not to mention the frogs. Or the grasshoppers. Their cries did not help him either. Both seemed to be Hyano's favorite prey, as she usually chased after them during the day.

The rocks at the cave's entrance suddenly moved. They were small, just a little nudge. Then there was silence again.

This drew the attention of the Nazgul, who turned his hooded head towards it, although made no noise. His mind could be playing tricks on him right now, although he trusted each of his senses and did not believe in something like that. But Hyano insisted that if he heard or saw something that was not there... then his mind was playing tricks on him. How? He did not understand how a noise that he could hear was not real... yet he could hear it. That was just too confusing to think about. Not like his mind was in a shape to do so anyway.

With this thought, his mind slipped into a meditating state involuntarily, having spent too much time in control of the spectral body at once. There was nothing he could do about it. His constant thinking and frustration only exhausted him through the days and drained him of the magic that he needed to exist. It was such a relief.

Not long after this, the rocks moved once again, this time some debris fell from above it as someone worked on removing the layers beyond.

The movement itself didn't jerk the wraith awake, instead he was meditating, resting his mind in the middle of the cave with Hyano in his lap, who was possibly asleep but he wasn't sure. Not like he cared at the moment. He was too much concentrating on getting enough magic through her.

The change in the magical flow didn't affect him as much as Hyano or anyone else hoped through the past two weeks they spent in this cave prison. Or it simply was a much slower process than they thought it would be. His appearance didn't change, of course, but remained the same cloaked invisible creature that he always was. When he thought Hyano was purposefully wishing to annoy him by looking into his hood, she was actually examining him for any changes. o eyes stared back at her. No skin, no matter in what condition, peeked from under that hood of his. The spectral body that he possessed was just as cold as a grave in winter. There was no heartbeat... no breathing. Just the cold invisible corpse that he was. This did not mean he did not change, just that one should have lowered their expectations. Hyano never awaited anything different or major after just two weeks but she did predict more after months or years of their altered magic flow. The change was more prominent in his behavior and aura. His aura lost some of its dark taste and instead started sporting something milder but still could not be called a light aura.

Far from that. But even this change was something great for the wizard.

Ren's behavior also changed from the excruciatingly selfish, aggressive, impatient and prideful Nazgul to a less excruciatingly selfish, aggressive, impatient and prideful Nazgul. Hyano noticed him taking his imprisonment a bit better, since he no longer looked for a way out desperately. He seemed to realize, that he was powerless in this situation and now patiently waited for the day to come when they could be put to the test. Well, as much as he could be. Which required him to gulp down his pride, work on his impatience and became more bearable. He tolerated more than he originally would, thought less of his pride, had far cleaner thinking abilities and could tolerate light to a greater extent and the miracle: he could see in the light properly! Not as greatly yet as in the darkness but it was something. It was an improvement. An improvement that actually worked in his favor as far as Ren was concerned.

If this was enough or not... this was for those in charge to judge.

Not soon after, the rocks moved again but this time not just briefly. There were some tapping noises coming from the outside as if someone touched the rocks, which in return slid partially up and some downwards, revealing a tall figure, who soon after stepped inside, his staff held firmly in his hand, his blue eyes focusing on the two still figures on the ground as if expecting something and being prepared for any surprises that might come. He watched as the Nazgul awoke with a small jerk and raised his gaze to meet his with his invisible one, which was accompanied by a faint hiss but after a good minute of the staring contest the wraith slowly but surely lowered his gaze, finding no interest to fight and showing a small sign of submission, he presumed. Submission, because he decided to tolerate him instead of threatening him, seeing he had no real chance in battle against him. They already had a fight many years ago when they both found out what the other was capable of.

While Ren was not the best when it came to sword fighting, he was not someone to be underestimated either. Gandalf noticed -from the times he encountered him- that this particular wraith was one of the most dangerous. What made him think this? Ren was capable to recover a lot faster from hits and although he wasn't an excellent swordsman, he was able to handle a lot of weapons. If he lost his sword, he could grab basically any weapon that was around and continue the battle. Maces, axes, spears... he could even handle the bow if he wanted. He did not excel in anything but he had variety. Still, with all this, he was no match to the White wizard. Magic was one weak spot in the many he possessed. Although with Hyano's loyalty, he could probably put up a fight but in way could they match him. They know this as well.

Gandalf was aware of that.

The illusion of submission hurt the still present pride of Ren... but he knew it was necessary if he wanted to get out of his new prison, his mind concluded. He had no interest in fighting or threatening him but that did not mean he was content with his presence or that he respected him. If anything, that wizard should be glad he does not show him what he could do. What made him wonder for a moment was what he was doing in this cave but it soon dawned on him.

Today was the day? It seemed like he lost his sense of the time...

Just like all those years ago...

Hyano mumbled lightly before opening her eyes and looked over towards the new source of light in the cave. She blinked as she saw Gandalf and could not help but smile at him. He had been watching over her, she knew that but seeing him with her own eyes was still something else. She was glad to see him. She was also curious about the ongoings in this world, especially she wished to know how the family was doing. She had so many questions but considering what day it seemed to be... she will need to hold onto them for a little while. The orange wizard looked up into Ren's hood and smiled up at him as well, even if he did not appreciate this. She probably should have kept track of the days during their time here, however she had been rather busy with other things for a time, so her count would have been off anyway. She stretched, then jumped out of his lap.

Now... the day of judgment arrived. Honestly, Hyano was not nervous about it one bit. The fact that they made any kind of progress and any change actually happened was surprising enough. It proved her point somewhat that he could fit in if they gave it all a chance. Although, the last word will be said by Gandalf himself. If he finds this progress enough for their freedom? Well, it was up to him.

She did all she could. Whatever happened, she will accept it with the same dedication she had for both Ren and the White wizard.

"Finally going to let us out now, Gandalf?" She said in a joking manner, before turning back towards Ren and waving for him to stand up too and follow her to the entrance of the cave but stopped halfway, already predicting that the White wizard will not let them out just so. They weren't as far as she had hoped, however they were a lot farther than she really thought they would get. She honestly thought they both would be dead by now but he proved her wrong.

While the wraith slowly stood with a sigh, the White wizard turned towards Hyano with a smile, clearly glad that she was still alive and in one piece. Many times he thought she might not make it, having felt the auras and the imprint of magic in the air. Though, there were signs of a fight inside the cave, now that he looked it over, rocks have been moved, claw marks here and there littered the wall... just like her face. Even if it was a faint mark by now, seeing it healed, one could clearly make out the mark he gave her at their fight. Before he said anything, Gandalf reached out and embraced her with one arm, glad to see her alive and well. Glad that she didn't change in this time closed in with the wraith. And most importantly... She was smiling. It wasn't fake but a genuine one and he was glad for it. Although he was glad about this, the one he had to judge was not her. It was Ren.

"It will depend on the progress..." He trailed off, raising a white eyebrow, before averting his gaze from her to look at the Nazgul, who was by now standing, although not moving anywhere, just watching them silently. The dark creature didn't yet attack. He had to see any hostile behavior ever since he came in other than the staring contest they had upon his entry. So in order to test that, he released Hyano and walked over to Ren. He started looking him over and carefully, slowly circled him, tasting his aura and waiting for him to snap. Wraiths usually didn't tolerate the White wizard -or any wizard for that matter- for too long but he didn't yet move, instead just watched him, staying in one position. He was aware that this change in behavior could be acting but he could not be sure just yet. His aura was clearly lighter somewhat, aggression was mild, the tolerance acceptable. He seemed to tolerate him and did not shrink back from the light of the torches at all, neither from the sunlight that came in from above.

So... There might be something...

Ren had been sizing up the wizard as much as it did him. He did not take his invisible gaze off of him and followed his movement with his hooded head, keeping his stance firm and straight as he circled him, while he kept his senses all trained on him. If he attempted anything, he would be not afraid to lash out and fight him, even without any weapons if needed. He did not like his judging gaze and found his presence too intruding, irritating. While the wizard tasted his aura, he did the same and noticed that his power did not change. It tasted the same way it did so many years ago. Disgusting... as usual. The wraith hissed faintly, giving voice to his displeasure with him.

Hyano watched this for a moment before putting her hands in her pockets. She could tell what both of them were doing, although with different goals. Gandalf was clearly attempting to provoke him by his mere presence. Wraiths would normally attack him by now. They despised wizards, especially the White one with a passion. She tried to read his expressions but he was a master of surprises... He knew how to keep everything hidden and only revealed what he felt and thought whenever he deemed it worthy. Even she was clueless about that most of the time. Ren, on the other hand, did all he could to not snap. She was surprised he didn't try to threaten him and did not use body language to express his dominance, like he did around others. Normally, he would raise his head, hiss constantly, would try to look taller and bigger than he was. As if that would work with anything else than a human, an orc or another wraith. A wizard would need a bit more than that to be intimidated. Perhaps he suspected this, hence why he did not do his usual series of actions. Or maybe he was so desperate to get out? No. She knew him well enough. Not even desperation would make him bow to the wizard. She was sure his only reasoning was that he was not interested in a fight at the moment. She honestly did not know what to think about this. The only thing she knew was that this surely was not the best manner to test him out.

"Gandalf. While you might be testing him, a better test might be the one of respect. Why don't you offer a bow or something? Something that shows equal respect." She suggested, thinking that might bring this little staring contest to the end. It was amusing to watch, really but this will not help either of them. She could tell that already. They were doing nothing else than sizing one another up, which could be potentially misunderstood by Ren. Although, she could not see inside the head of the mischievous wizard... Maybe he knew exactly what he was doing... Maybe she just did not see it...

"I do not expect him to have changed all too much on that department." Gandalf admitted. If anything, he did not expect any change at all. His appearance for one did not show any alteration but his behavior was worth testing. Respect? The Nazgul will never show any respect towards him and the White wizard also thought it would be wrong to attempt. He would end up showing respect he did not have for the wraith. He was no liar. "I am looking for small things..."

Hyano raised an eyebrow at this. He seemed to know about the small steps they were able to take forward but this did not mean he could not bring the tests further. Just staring at one another will not give him any ideas about their progress. In order to do that, they will need to start to be something else than mortal enemies. This was what she was trying to achieve.

"You should talk to him." She suggested with a shrug and just stood there, relaxed. As things looked, Gandalf did not seem too worried or disappointed, so there must be something good that he saw. She just hoped that the prideful friend of hers will keep tolerating a little longer and will not mess up their chances. They talked about this but he tended to... want everything his own way in the end. "You would be surprised how colorful thoughts he has. All you need to do is discover..."

"Oh, I can imagine what colorful thoughts that would be." The White wizard chuckled and shook his head as he stopped his walk and faced the creature of darkness in front of him. Tension was clear in its stance. The wraith did not trust him and probably had indeed a lot of colorful thoughts about how to murder him on the spot. Honestly, it would be entertaining to listen to it but that would not help their situation, now would it?

Ren had been patient. He truly was. At least, this was what his thoughts told him. But the judging and scrutinizing gaze of his was bringing up alarm flags in his mind. He was clearly sizing him up. His body language and stance told him he was challenging him. It was hard to manage his growing irritation with this. He did not care about what the wizard thought of him. He did not care about some tests and what he was trying to accomplish. All he wanted was to escape this prison, to know that he could roam wherever he wished to go... as he was supposed to in this new world. This wizard will not stop him. In the end, the wraith hissed at the White wizard and shifted his invisible gaze away from him, his hooded head moving to stare towards the entrance of this cave instead.

 _'Are you doing alright?_ ' Hyano asked, shifting to Black Speech like it was nothing. She had found that jumping from one language to the other wasn't really that hard, though sometimes she did get her words mixed up. Using the Black Speech word for 'light' instead of the language of man's for example. She found she had done that several times when she really thought about it but she had hardly noticed.

"Do not use Black Speech, Hyano." Gandalf warned as he finally turned towards her, having heard the question. The problem wasn't the understanding, as he could make out what she said... The problem was with the speech itself. "It is not the way to talk in this world. That speech needs to be forgotten. It went down with the other traces of the Dark Lord." He said as he walked closer to her, stopping in front of the young wizard. "The elves also would find it inappropriate if you used that tongue. The ones who knew on Middle-Earth would panic because it is the sign of the Lord's presence and his minion's loyalty to him." As it was the speech of darkness, this world should not hear such words; at least this is what many believed in. It was forbidden to speak in Black Speech, even utter a word. Though, it was hard to not say a word or two in it... There were a few in the language of men that came from that speech, mingling with their own. For example the way they call the Ringwraiths. Nazgul is a shorter expression. One of the many examples. "And if respect truly means anything to him, we shall see. For now I do not trust him and would like to live with the healthy doubt for the project. Only time will tell if he truly changed or not. Until then... he will be your responsibility and the elves will keep a very close eye on him." He nodded, then gestured towards the exit which was now freed from the rocks. One couldn't blame him for being so cautious. This was a too fragile and new world. They didn't need a wraith going loose.

"The Council is waiting."

Hyano was a little caught off guard by this. She looked towards Ren, wondering if he understood any of that but was sure he didn't. He hadn't been forced to use the tongue of man in quite some time so he likely forgot a majority of it. She waved for him to follow her as they stepped out of the cave.

"Gandalf he doesn't know any other languages. It will take time for him to learn the language of man again. Exactly how else are you planning on me to speak to him if not in his own tongue?" She questioned honestly. She could understand not using it in front of the elves but the reality was... in order to talk to Ren she really had to use the language. She could start teaching him the language of man again but it would be easier to convey each word's meaning if she could translate it into Black Speech rather than have him guess at it. She could still remember how comical and complicated it was back then in her old shack. While it was truly entertaining... she rather had it easier now.

"Teach him." Was all Gandalf said, then made his way outside, leading them out of the cavern system, which was still guarded by a few elves, all had their weapons sheathed but it was clear that they were tense, not trusting the creature just yet. It was just natural. They knew his kind and trust was the last thing they want to put in him. He will have a lot of proving to do... "If he truly wishes to be a part of this society with time, he will need to forget who he was and start living a new life. A new life means changes. He will have to accept that. I will make sure to ask for patience in your case but there has to be progress soon." He told her, turning slightly to look at her, knowing very well that he was asking the impossible. The nature of a wraith like him cannot be changed, no matter how much time they give for it. It was like asking an elf to worship the Dark Lord. The same way will a wraith find troubles in abandoning his memory. The darkness itself was holding him back, the very essence of his being. But still... He gave Hyano that much chance to prove this law of magic otherwise.

They finally made it out of the caverns. The sun was up by now but it was still morning, so it did not yet reach the highest peak. In the mean time, the Nazgul followed after the two, staying silent, of course not understanding much of what was said, so simply gave up on trying, instead he felt the rush of freedom as they finally left the cave itself. He had to hold himself back from running towards the exit, forming his hands into fists, stepping slowly after the two wizards. However, as soon as they reached the very exit to the cavern system itself, Ren stopped in front of it, hesitating for a moment. He shrunk back for a moment, either because it still irritated him or because of the past and the memory of it having a bad effect on him. One was for sure. He despised being defenseless. And while he could see in light now somewhat... it was still scarce. He will have to use his sense of smell and aura to 'see', to watch where he was going...

Hyano listened but knew there was going to be a lot of work needed that would have to be done away from the sight of the elves. She shook her head and noticed the elves for the first time. ven these parts of the cave was guarded. No surprise, really. They were that way before. Ren could be a full-blown human right now and they would likely still act this way. She felt a jump in her energy for a moment that made her sigh as she was hit by the sun. The cave had an opening in the top, yes, but in the end that was only a limited source of direct sunlight. Only during the hours that it was above them was it any good, though, she did enjoy those hours. The moment only lasted a few seconds before her strength changed again duo to Ren stopping. She looked back and noticed what no one else likely would. His hesitation. She smiled a bit before stepping back and holding her hand out to him. "It's alright." She assured, using some of the few words she thought he might still know.

The wraith looked at her, seemingly unsure, just staring, then looked down to see where the shadows ended and where the light began. The memory of the irritating sensation was still clear in his mind and no matter what would happen, his first reaction would be hesitation. He looked at her hand, then around, as if trying to check if it was safe before finally moving and slowly extended his hand to grasp hers, then took a step forward out into the light after two weeks of getting used to the dim light and the dancing fire of the torches. He shuddered when the light touched his spectral body under the cloak but he didn't take it as badly as he did the two weeks ago. After a few seconds of adjusting, Ren started to see shapes once again, the blinding white light now giving way to the shape of Hyano, the faint green color of the grass and the orange tint of the wizard's clothing. He shook his head briefly at the unusual ability, before stepping forward again, following the two wordlessly. He didn't want to speak right now. He didn't trust the wizard yet and knew that talking might end in a verbal debate.

Of course, Gandalf was aware of the sudden stop and turned around, walking back to Hyano and the wraith.

"Everything is alright?" He asked, looking at Ren briefly before turning and walking ahead of the two. "I will bring you to the shack, where we will leave your... friend. For now. We don't want to cause panic among the elves and especially no hostility from the other istari." With this, he started walking down the path towards the home he used. Luckily, he will not disturb anyone there anymore, so he was not worried about the creature harming people. He shall be watched at all times.

Hyano nodded.

"Yes, he is fine. Light normally would burn him so he is rather... hesitant to just walk out into it." She explained for him as they started to walk, continuing to hold the wraith's hand. When he said they would be leaving Ren behind, she thought this over. While she would rather keep Ren with her... she thought it safer he stayed behind. A room full of istari was dangerous, to say the least. And considering Asteri would be there... everyone knew he was a wizard who was full of nothing but huge spells. While he had little skill in earth magic, the magic he did know was powerful and dangerous. While Hyano was sure he would be on her side... if he wasn't well... she shook her head.

"Oh yes... The tee herder family moved away into the city. We will also pay them a visit before attending the council." The White wizard noted quickly with a smile. He had been watching over the family as best as he could while Hyano could not. They were truly worthy people to be in this world. He could tell the similarities they had with the normal tree herders in the way they had a special connection with nature. There were many things that went lost through the ages but the very base their kind was built on... remained in their roots.

"Oh? Are they settling in well?" The orange wizard asked, not able to help her curious nature. It was such a long time ago when she saw them last. She wondered if Rosa finally managed to get over her fear of this world and the elves... Or if Lilly found any friends. Did Will and Holly manage to organize a nice Ash Day with the elves? She had so many questions but most of them could be answered later. For now, she just wished to be sure about their happiness.

"Oh, they do brilliant." The White wizard said with a chuckle. "They had their celebration tied to the elven one that one month of the year. It was fantastic. They already attended that one like true citizens of this elven city." He paused, remembering how the elves seemed to accept them instantly, liked their shows and participated themselves. Surely the family didn't expect such a fast process. "Rosa, in the mean time, is learning sewing from a shopkeeper and might want to open her own one day." He added, remembering his visits to the elven city. Of course, he kept close contact with them, despite his constant guarding at the cave's opening. "And I think she might have found a little more than a friend among the elves here." He hinted, chuckling. He was sure he was not the only one who saw her being accompanied a lot by the elf boy who brought them to this world from Middle-Earth. Fieven was his name. While it was not too obvious, it was clear there was something in the air around them. "I think Lilly isn't far behind. I can see her and her elven friend living together in their own home in ten years." Of course he never told anyone this suspicion. But normally such close friendship between a boy and a girl ended in a much tighter connection. Usually this was true for Man and elves... but if it was also true for herder people? He will need to see that. Love wasn't so far behind, now was it? They are in their teens, after all.

Hyano was a both surprised and pleased with the news. She raised a brow slightly as she heard about Rosa and Lilly's development.

"You know, not all the elves will be pleased with this. Especially not with Lilly." She said honestly. While the elves seemed to have become much more tolerant people since she last saw them... she did see the one flaw they had was still very much there. An inability to change or accept change. It just wasn't in their nature. It was what kept many elves from accepting more human partners back in Middle-Earth. She was sure there had been more than just the few who had wanted to. She felt a slight ping of fear for the young ones. If Rosa didn't have trouble coming her way for this... Lilly sure did.

Of course, Gandalf knew that. He saw this coming and unfortunately, he might not be here to defend them when the time comes. Hyano was wise to see a problem with Lilly's situation, even if she did not see the same with Rosa. The elfling, Naril, was far too young and will be until he reaches his fiftieth year of his life. Lilly might be far too old for marriage by that time. However, there was not much they can do for now.

"The elves don't know yet about Rosa and her elven partner. And no one yet sees that possibility between Lilly and her new friend. Anything could happen." He added, agreeing in his own way but like with everything, he didn't like to think about the bad consequences. While he was aware of them, he liked to only realize it truly once he could do something about it. Until then, it won't help anyone if they start fussing over that now. "The most problems might come with Lilly, indeed. The boy is only ten years older than her... and we all know that elves come of age at the age of fifty..." He added, humming, and looked up when the shack came into his view. He sped up a little to be done with this. They still needed to snatch Rosa before going to the council. "But you can inquire about all this yourself. We will take Rosa along."

Hyano nodded, feeling bad for Lilly and her friend already. But maybe they were over-thinking it. Maybe they will be just the greatest friends for life and will consider one another as siblings, becoming the godparents of each other's children. People were so easy to draw conclusions and now it dawned on her that istari were no exceptions in this. When they reached the shack she smiled and walked right in, looking around. Hyano already saw it before she and Ren were taken to the cave but she could not get enough of the sight. It brought back so many dear memories... Memories about her carefree 'childhood', about her just roaming the forests and playing with the animals without a worry about the world... Radagast... Her time with Ren there and his clumsy attempts to make himself work without his master... She smiled and sighed, then looked at Ren, who clearly showed no true interest in going inside himself.

Ren just knew... no... suspected what they would want from him as soon as Hyano turned towards him. He was still distrusting their current situation. So they want him to go in there and then what? Imprison him there? Keep him locked up like a dog that bites to never escape? Oh no... he will not make it that easy... With this thought, the wraith planted his feet firmly to the ground and stood there, refusing to go any closer to the door.

' _I'm going to a meeting with the other istari. Likely to talk about your progress. Gandalf wants you to stay here until we get back. It should only be a few hours._ 'She told him, not about to leave without giving him some kind of explanation and she thought since they were inside it would be fine to speak in Black Speech for a second. Just so Ren knew what was going on. He clearly did not like this situation but there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. Once the meeting was over, she could easily explain to him what the next steps will be in their stay. Speaking of which, even she did not know... Although... she could already suspect.

Ren was not content to go inside. While he tolerated the sun more, it still wasn't a pleasant feeling but the memory of being helpless and imprisoned was still too fresh in his mind... He suspected this would be his next prison? But then again, the sun was irritating him enough to reconsider it. The change was very much in progress still and there was a long way to go. The wraith slipped inside and shook his head as if trying to get rid of a dizzy feeling, the truth was however that his sight sharpened too suddenly, causing an uncomfortable feeling in his mind. But this simple gesture did the trick. The first thing he did was observe the location. It was... kind of familiar actually. He already saw such a shack before, although much older and much simpler.

Aaaaand he was instantly off.

The Nazgul couldn't help his natural childish curiosity and the first place he stopped at was the table, where many unusual items lay, picking up the first glass object already. He only barely heard what she said over his loud thinking as he tried to guess what this item was meant to be.

"Am I to stay in here... or can I go outside?" He asked, now turning his hooded head towards her, tilting it a little in curiosity, still holding onto the glass object. This was a critical detail for him. "I am not imprisoned anymore..." He added, giving it a slight warning tone and pointing it out. He was promised freedom, so wanted to have it in exchange. Not to be... closed in like that again... Not like a wooden door could keep him inside, though. He would find a way outside. The window looked large enough, at least.

Hyano looked out, noting that there were armed guards a distance from the shack. She wondered where they have been so long. She expected to see them the moment they set foot outside the cave and went towards the shack. She could tell the elves were armed to the teeth and were dead set on keeping Ren under their watchful gaze. If they kept up their current determined behavior... she wondered if they were up the challenge ahead.

"To a degree." She replied finally and looked back at the Nazgul. "You can go outside but without me... they will likely not trust you to go far. I would honestly suggest you stay here and get some rest. You haven't really gotten a chance to really meditate in the past two weeks and once I'm a distance away you will only have the strength you have now to work with until I get back." She pointed out. She wasn't trying to discourage him from going outside as much as make sure he knew the facts and understood that he was likely better off inside until she returned. As curious as he was... he was also likely very tired as well.

The wraith hissed faintly, then simply returned to the table, putting down the glass object to pick up a strange looking flower. He tilted his head to the side in confusion before holding it closer and sniffed on it. He regretted it instantly as the scent of the flower was rather strong from so close, so hissed in irritation and disgust, then threw it to the ground, not even wanting to touch that thing ever again. His next victim was an unusual bowl which was used for making potions.

Seeing the wraith was occupied, Gandalf stopped at the doorway, having given them the privacy to talk but now it was time to go.

"He seems to be busy, so let us use this chance and get Rosa.." He wasn't at all worried about being late. His philosophy said that a wizard arrives when he means to, neither late, neither too early. So, there was no need to rush.

Hyano nodded and walked to follow him. She knew Ren would keep himself busy for a number of hours before either testing his elven guards or going to rest for a while. She honestly expected at least twice that many guards to be there by the time they got back. Hyano raised a brow as he mentioned that they would be picking up Rosa. She raised a brow.

"Not that I mind seeing her but why exactly do we need Rosa again?" She questioned curiously. Istari meetings very rarely involved anyone who was not an istar and the few times it did they were more like negotiations than meetings.

What could they possibly need with the eldest herder child?

All Gandalf did was slowly look at her with his blue eyes, meeting her green ones in almost mischief, before going to look back at their path.

"You will see." He said in a mysterious tone, then sped up a little, his long legs giving him the boost. He walked down the path towards the elven city, the peak of the highest tree already visible from their current distance. They met a few elves here and there, who greeted the two istari. Most were hunters, others were guards, another portion were gatherers who went to collect fruits and vegetables from the forest.

Once arriving at the city, the White already knew where to go, leading the younger wizard with ease and swiftly across the city. There were a few murmurs here and there, seeing Hyano out of the caves so soon, all of them talking about her and the dark creature but most were hushed and silent. Once they arrived at the house, the istar noticed the elk laying next to the door, which looked towards the window, smelling the scent of cooking that reached the nose of the wizards. Lord was probably waiting for the mother to give him some fruits and vegetables from the window, maybe some left-overs from the previous day's meal. They were spoiling him. Gandalf only chuckled, though, and nodded towards the elk, who nodded back at him, not hesitating since he already knew him. But at the sight of the younger wizard he became unsure, so perked his ears and watched her, alert. The old wizard gestured for her to bow to the creature, while he went to knock on the door with his staff. Rosa might be still at home. It was fairly early.

Hyano kept quiet while following him all the way to the herder's new home. Of course, she heard the whispers but she ignored them. Not much else she could do about it besides tolerate it. The humans hadn't been much better so she was used to it. When they arrived at the shack she noticed Lord and smiled. It had been some time since she saw one of those. She looked at Gandalf, then smiled again at the elk, bowing down to it in a polite manner.

Rosa answered the door. She blinked in surprise when she saw the old tall wizard in front of her, having not expected a visit from him at this time of the day.

"Oh, hello. If you are looking for my parents, they are all out. Dad is out training Cane and Naril, while my mom and Lilly went to go have breakfast with Naril's parents." She said, then noticed Hyano. She blinked, staring at her for a few seconds before it dawned on her what or rather who she saw, then grinned. "Hyano!" The herder girl yelled happily before running and hugging the shorter girl.

Hyano yelped and hoped the elk wouldn't be offended that she was forced to stop bowing early because she was literally lifted into a hug.

"Ugh... Nice to see you too, Rosa." She said sheepishly as she patted the girl's back, feeling like she could not breathe. Bloody Void, they were all too strong for their own good.

The elk of course didn't take any offense and saw the bow in the motion, so sighed but eventually bowed back, although only nodded his head because he was lying down, then looked at Rosa in an almost pleading manner, awaiting more treats through the window, of course.

The White wizard chuckled at the display of friendship and shook his head but nodded in greeting at the herder girl.

"Oh, I didn't come to see them." He said, using that tone. That specific tone that said something was going on but he also would not tell her what. After all, Gandalf loved surprises, so he always expected others to like it too. One negative trait of his personality but then again... No one was perfect. Not even istari. "Now, it is time." He said, then turned around, already marching down towards the path. "Let's go to the council. They are waiting. We just came around to get you, young lady."

Rosa put the istar down, who gasped, finally able to breathe properly. Rosa smiled sheepishly before looking at Gandalf. She blinked, confused, then realized what he must be talking about. He was taking her along? For that meeting? Was he serious? She instantly got nervous but seeing as he was giving her no room to say no she quickly ran inside, getting the last bowl of treats for the elk, then ran back in to make sure everything in the house was cleaned and put away before running after the istari.

Hyano, having already started following Gandalf, was still as confused as ever but decided not to question it. "Alright, Gandalf. Exactly how far away is the meeting place?" She asked him, thinking he could at least tell her that much.

"Oh, it is not far." The White wizard replied but as usual... his answer was maybe giving them an idea but was not accurate, leaving them to guess and pass the time.

They left the path soon after they left the city and started walking in a different direction in the forest. He was walking at a straight line, so surely knew where to go. He didn't inform Rosa about her part in this but not because he wanted to see her get all nervous and panic. He simply didn't want her to panic now. There was no reason to at the moment. Instead, he kept silent and walked, looking back sometimes to make sure they were following.

That was until they reached a rather... large and quite wide tree. He stopped in front of it and held out his staff, tapping it a few places, using his magic to open a door inside it. Once it creaked open, revealing wooden steps that led downwards. The White stepped inside, gesturing for the girls to follow, before tapping his staff to make some light in the tunnel that followed.

Hyano and Rosa walked side by side chatting about the past events, getting Hyano as up to date as it was possible, considering the amount of time they had. Hyano was surprised so much had happened while she was in the cave but she smiled none the less, glad to see everything was progressing well. When they came to the tree, she giggled lightly, having not seen one of these in a while. It felt nice to see the old tricks being used again.

"Watch your step. The ground is not all that even." Gandalf warned, then kept walking, the steps under him squeaking like in a comical show, which was only made worse by him taking his time. The closer they came to the small light at the end of the tunnel, the more they could hear the noise and the cheerful talking on the other end. It didn't take long for them to reach another simple wooden door, which Gandalf swung open without even giving a chance for Hyano to imagine what the other side would look like.

The green eyes of the younger wizard opened wide and a large smile spread across her face.

* * *

In the mean time, Ren has lost interest in the thousand items that were in the shack. There was not much guessing to do, since he knew already what most were used for and he had no shipmunk on him to put it into the glass containers. There was nothing truly interesting in there... And that the long ears were staring at him through the window was only making this situation more irritating for him than it should be. No matter what he did, no matter where he went in the shack... he always felt eyes on him. So, he decided to play along.

What was the worst that could happen when one keeps staring at a creature that could harm them with the intention to keep an eye on it?

If the creature began to stare right back.

From his experience, living beings tended to get more nervous and smell of fear if their stare was acknowledged. Like that time in the village. That little girl right below the wheel of a broken down wagon kept staring at him in hopes that he did not see it. Of course, he could smell the stench of her fear quite sharply in the air, so knew where she was and tolerated this for a while but eventually he just turned around and stared straight at her.

The memory of the scream and the smell of terror was still fresh in his mind.

Thus, Ren began to stare back. Each time he moved past the window, he would make sure to turn his hooded head towards the elves outside and did not avert it until he was out of their sight. It did not take long for him to stay right in front of one of the windows and just stare outside with his hooded head resting on his folded arms.

Their stare did not seem to change at all. If anything, they were harder and stricter the more time he spent staring back at them. The elves did not budge. This called for a more... closer inspection.

Knowing that this might cause some stir among the long ears, he simply vanished from the window. Not a moment later, the door's handle moved ever so slightly and it began to open slowly, lazily. The creaking of the dry handles and the wood echoed in the forest around them. Sharp elven ears were going alert. The dark hooded head of the wraith appeared by the door and stared right back at the elves that seemed to have surrounded the shack.

Ren took his sweet time. He was not in a hurry, so why should he be hasty about his next actions? He could tell even from this distance that the elven guards tensed up as soon as the barrier, namely the walls of the shack, did not stand between him and them.

The beast escaped.

But even now the long ears refused to move or acknowledge the fear they surely must be feeling at his mighty presence. Frustration started to boil at the surface of his mind, so eventually he was forced to move from the door. He stepped away from it, one step at a time and let the wooden item close on its own.

But he did not stop there.

The Nazgul's gaze swept over the form of the many guards that were around him, trying to spot the weakest of the group. Because every team, every army, every troop had its weakest member. It was common knowledge, that every group was as strong as its weakest point. Using this to his advantage could prove to be most useful in his current situation. He did not wish to be seen as a pet, kept on a leash. Oh no. He was the darkness, the source of the very evil on this world and these long ears will learn it. One way or another.

Eventually, his steps took him from the shack to his chosen victim, who stood straight, his strict gaze observing him. He did not move, didn't even as much as budge at the sheer closeness of the darkness that he carried. He just... stared at him with that slight frown on his brow.

He did not move even when he leaned slightly closer... his hooded head mere inches away from his nose.

Alright...

He shall take this as a challenge.

* * *

 **Not exactly 10k words but this should do it.**

 **Hmm... We wonder what Ren is thinking right now... What do you guys think? Any ideas?**

 **See you guys in two weeks!**

 _CA Productions_


	12. The Council

**Here we are with a brand new chapter! We hope you will like it!**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 12 - The Council

Outer-Earth was a peaceful land, led by elves and their wisdom. Tranquility and harmony were the words one could describe the aura of this world. Nobody was in a hurry, for these immortal beings... everything had its own purpose, its own place and its own time.

However, this peace had to be disturbed for compelling reasons. One of these reasons... was the Council of the istari, which was held at the most eastern city of the elves every four hundred years. This was where Gandalf put his base of operations, where Hyano arrived on Outer-Earth.

Wizard from all over this world made the long journey from their residence in order to meet and discuss important matters and their progress in their tasks. For some, it was a tiring trip from the peak of the highest mountain or from the deepest recesses of a valley. Some came from the other end of the world, while others needed to take two steps.

But in the end... they sat together despite all hardships of their journey.

The room itself was made of wood, of course, seemingly carved into the tree itself, only the movable furniture was made of separate parts. It all was an oval shape, a long table went around the room, giving enough space for the people to sit at. The table had a little food and drinks on it to suit everyone's needs during their long discussion, goblets and plates were set for each person in the room. The space was lit by small light orbs which floated around on their own will, bumping into one another on occasions, lighting up brighter as a result but eventually they returned to floating away. There were only istari and as suspected, all those who seemed to have gone lost in the ages were there.

The blue wizards, Aalatar and Pallando, who presumably have explored east of Middle-Earth for a while until they were called upon the Valar to turn their gazes to the shores on the west. Asteri, the star wizard, whose past was not the happiest fairy tale to listen to, making him a distant and always displeased old man. And finally, even two new wizards Gandalf was speaking about were accompanying the rest. The color of their robes spoke of their rank. The two were young compared to the others in appearance and they clearly did not choose to look like old men. One had a violet robe on, having put his hat down on the table to reveal short black hair. He had brown eyes, going with his dark short fullbeard. The other was even younger, possibly looking to be at the age of Hyano. He was obviously the new brown wizard, possibly created after Radagast's demise to replace him. He had long light brown hair and equally light brown eyes.

Hyano's eyes widened as her face went from pleased to shocked. She stood and looked at the crowd before her eyes landed on the new brown wizard. Her mind froze for a moment almost mistaking the new wizard for her old mentor but her mind quickly corrected this. No. this was not Radagast... It was a new wizard but... she wondered if he was anything like the last brown.

The people in the room didn't seem to notice the White but continued chatting, many of them seemingly had a very deep conversation, while others laughed, sharing stories.

Asteri was the first to notice their company and smiled.

"Ah, well, it is about time you showed up. I was starting to wonder if we should set up some cots and get ready to spend the night." He teased before blinking as he noticed Hyano. "My stars... The young Hyano isn't so young anymore, now is she?" He said, his voice holding a tone of surprise.

Hyano gave the older wizard a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her head. She knew already just how much she had changed since she last saw the wizards. To say the least... she had grown up.

The other wizards finally also noticed the trio and stopped their chatting, all sounding a noise of awe at the young lady that became of the child they knew.

"Oh but she is young, Asteri." Pallando chuckled, now taking off his own hat to show his grey hair. "I know one thing, though,... she is indeed too young for you." He added with yet another amused chuckle, which was soon followed by the laugh of the others. It was meant as a joke, of course. Istari never thought of each other that way.

"Eh, stop it you two!" Came the scolding from Alatar, the other blue wizard. "She just came back after so many years and you won't let her feel comfortable. Look at her! She is blushing now." He added, followed by a few more murmurs, as usual averting quickly from the current topic to speak about Hyano, how small she was and about how much she grew. Yes, they were old men indeed. Istari, yes, but old men.

Hyano face palmed. Even when she was a child they were like this. Rosa just sweat dropped. ' _Old perverts_ ' kept running through her head and for once she did not mind being ignored. Hyano sighed before letting her eyes wander the men, then went to the one who would best understand her situation.

Asteri.

He was one of those wizards that were not all that well-known by Man. He spent most of his time in Middle-Earth with staring at the sky, learning about the great beyond that stretched far into the unseen. One could say, he was an astronomer, someone who was most interested in the great beyond than the here and now. He kept company to few people and Hyano herself saw him rarely. When he did stop by, she knew him as a cheerful, very carefree wizard. He did not take disrespect and handled those who saw him as a useless old man as children that they were. Then one day... he thought he found the purpose of his existence when he found that little boy... The prince of a land in Eriador. He never saw a young child being so enthusiastic about the stars and magic. So he took him as his apprentice and loved him as the son he never had. Up until... up until Sauron messed everything up. While he still smiled and joked as he used to, very much had changed. Anyone who didn't know him before probably wouldn't see it but Hyano knew better. For one, his eyes were far darker, his skin paler and the lines of age much deeper. All remnants from what Sauron had done to him... They had thought him dead at one point. The loss of his apprentice, the boy he saw as his own son truly shattered him to the core. She was glad to see he was still well.

Gandalf chuckled at the talk before tapping the ground with his staff, finally gaining some attention, making the other istari stand up in respect for their leader and in greeting the newcomers. Well, to say the least they weren't all that sure about the... other girl and they did glance at her but knowing Gandalf, there must be a good reason why she was there.

"Alright, everyone. We have much to discuss today. After the meeting you may swarm our young wizard with questions but for now we have our priority." He said, raising his voice to keep the attention of the other wizards but as usual there was always the one who leaned to the side to say a few words to their neighbor. "But first. I would like to indeed confirm, that our orange wizard, Hyano will be staying with us and will now take on her work as a full-fledged member of our Order." He announced with a smile, gesturing for Hyano to move forward and greet the others.

Of course, at the news the others cheered and nodded at her, clapping loudly, clearly approving of it. So far Hyano was an apprentice but now that she survived Middle-Earth and proved herself, she can now call herself a member of the Order. "Now her success is our success and her failure is ours in return. From now on her responsibilities grow but so does her reputation."

When Gandalf drew attention to her again, Hyano blinked, then what he said replayed in her head.

"Wha- oh uh... Thank you." She said as she stepped up, allowing the others to give their approval. If she was honest with herself, while it was nice to be accepted into the Order as a full wizard she... well... she didn't need it. She was so used to being the only istar... that the thought of being in a group again made her edgy. However, she was also glad to not be the only one anymore... It was nice not to be alone.

"Now..." The White drew attention to himself and reached out to pat her shoulder. "I think it is time to introduce you to our new additions." He said, gesturing towards the two new istari with his staff. The two seemed to straighten themselves at the mention of this, ready to be formally acquainted with this new wizard. "First, we have here our new Violet wizard, Zhia. He will continue the work of our lost member Saruman, becoming the wizard of knowledge." He said, gesturing towards the older new wizard, who nodded towards her in means of greeting. Then he gestured towards the other one. "Now, here is our new brown wizard, Ragnarök. He will take over your mentor's, Radagast's task in protecting the flora and fauna in Outer Earth." In response, the new istari also bowed his head just like Zhia, giving her a kind and almost knowing smile of his own, meeting her gaze. Was there something she did not know?

Hyano nodded back at them before her green eyes met the eyes of the wizard who would be replacing Radagast. She saw the same kind nature as was in the last brown. This made her smile a bit before nodding, although his smile held something strange...

"I am glad to see that things will be well taken care of... You both have some big caps to fill, though." She told them with a grin. Those that they were supposed to replace were both powerful in their own field. While Radagast was not known for his power, he had quite a bit and his knowhow of the natural world was unmatched. Well... almost unmatched until Hyano came into the picture.

"Oh, we know that. And we will do everything to try and match them. Though, we cannot replace them." Zhia said as he moved to sit, his gaze strict on her green eyes.

Slowly everyone sat down now, all of them taking off their wizard caps, setting them on the table. Some grasped for their goblets to drink, while others decided to have a bite from the food that was set out for them. Nonetheless, the happy chatting almost restarted, whispers became loud laughs, before Gandalf tapped the ground with his staff, making them go quiet and look up at him. He gestured for the two girls to sit on either side of him, then spoke up again. This meeting was far from over. They didn't even start yet!

"Now that introductions are done... I think we should begin." He suggested, now sitting down himself. "I would like to welcome everyone to our four hundred years council. I have two important announcements to make before we start anything, so please pay attention." He waved at the wizards, almost in a scolding manner, who in return started playing along, all seemingly displeased that they need to listen to this and groaned, although it was just a way to lift the mood. "The first matter we need to talk about is something that requires quick handling if we decide to accept the call for help. This young lady..." He trailed off, gesturing towards Rosa, now turning all attention to the herder girl, causing some whispers to start as they watched her. "... is the result of a magical change in the tree herders of Middle-Earth, that I have talked about before. Now, she has a request to us and asks for our help in something important to her. And what is important to her, is important to our Order." He finished, then gestured for Rosa to stand and tell them what she wished from them. Of course, the istari all looked at her, now falling silent, watching her intently and waiting for the request.

Rosa blushed slightly before standing, trying to keep herself calm. She was a heavy hitter more than a talker, really. She thought for a moment, trying to think of anything that may calm her down. Fieven's last letter came to mind... his written words calmed her down and she took a breath, then started.

"I would like to ask that some boats be sent back to Middle-Earth in order to bring back more of my kin. There is a war starting and..." She stopped, glancing at Hyano. "They are threatening to use nukes." She said and the orange wizard's eyes widened.

Hyano knew exactly what she was talking about. In her time on Middle-Earth, she saw all the horrid things they have created. Nukes were one of the worst. A weapon of mass-destruction. She could not call it anything else... It was something that she swore came out of the Void itself and brought the power of thousand dragon fires. She knew the others might not know what the herder girl was talking about, so she stood up.

"I thought those idiots got rid of those!" She yelled, her voice sounding both furious and shocked. While many suspected that countries still held the weapons, everyone had made a pact to get rid of them years ago. Hyano had hoped that the world leaders might have kept their word. It seemed she was wrong.

Rosa cringed and nodded.

"I know..." She said sadly, almost ashamed at this fact. Some of her people were involved in making those horrible contraptions back then. Not like they had a choice. Some of them even died in the result of nuke attacks.

Asteri decided to cut in.

"Excuse me but... nukes?" He questioned and looked around, noticing that everyone shared his confused stare. From the tone of the young woman, it was clear that this might be something important and a dangerous thing but... well. They won't know if nobody tells them.

Hyano looked at the star wizard before sighing. She then picked up a piece of bread and put it in the middle of the table so all could see. She then snapped her fingers and in a split second the bread was gone leaving a scorch mark where it had been. Like a shadow. She heard some gasps in the room.

"That... is what a nuke does. It is a type of explosive weapon, similar to many of our potions that we toss at enemies. Only this one is a lot bigger... and it doesn't take many to destroy a whole planet." She explained, her green gaze going from one wizard to another, watching as their expressions changed.

Zhia leaned forward and rubbed his chin, watching the weapon as it went off. Everything that was new and held new information was welcome in his collection, of course. The humans surely knew much, had the means and the time to experiment, creating things that they would never be able to. No matter if it was devastating or something for the greater good.

"This seems quite bad. But... remember the way a world has a beginning and comes to an end." Pallando said as he leaned back in his seat, looking at each person in the room. "It is just the sign that the humans will destroy themselves and their world. This is how it should be, after all. They are corrupted; they are not to survive with their wasteful ways of living." He explained, seemingly not at all touched by the display. He even found it the natural order of a world. A world that was created will end one day. At least those which simply were not meant to survive. They could only hope that this world made it through... Each fail, after all, brings a new experience and this experience could be utilized to avoid those mistakes that caused the demise of the previous creation.

"So you ask us to just forget all those who have no hand in this?" Hyano asked bluntly. "The herders and those like them are not at fault. To simply stand by and let them die because we see it as the natural order of things is wrong on a moral level. The herders have done nothing but protect the earth that the istari all left behind. The majority won't leave even if they have a chance but if we can save some... then I think we should. They would do this world a lot of good." She argued.

Asteri for once was silent, leaning back and just listening, wanting to hear every argument there was. Considering this was a room full of istari, he was sure there would be many. Opinions between mortals and Maiar tend to differ. The former placed emotions forward, whereas the latter saw everything in a factual view. The destruction of a world affected the mortals more.

"Do not think with one thought we don't care about them. The life has simply this order. We do and say what the Valar wish to discuss and disclose. We are all aware of our own possible demise. These people live in a dying world and are now too late to flee." Pallando said, looking back at the two, still not thinking this was something worth the discussion.

"So you want us to put one child over the other?" The orange istar asked, her eyes on the knowledge wizard now. "Many of you may see Middle-Earth as just some corrupt place where darkness resides but the fact that none of you have even set foot on there in five thousand years is likely the reason for that. You no longer see it as your home but as a place that can be easily destroyed. I haven't forgotten, though. Yes, that world is full of darkness but there is good there too. To just let it die because we are too scared to do anything about it is wrong." She said, feeling like she was talking to some people who did not seem to care about this topic at all. She was baffled how ignorant they seemed to be. Nobody was jumping up to help them.

Not even Gandalf.

"We have created Middle-Earth." Pallando decided to say something, cutting into their debate, leaning forward on his folded hands, narrowing his eyes at her. "Middle-Earth is our creation. We worked on it for thousands of years, even more than you were alive. We know exactly how a world works and what remains once it is to destroy itself. We have worked so hard for this... and we are forced to watch as it goes down because our gods do not deem them as a race that is worthy for the protection any longer. They were to survive on their own, to take care of Middle-Earth and use its resources wisely. They abused this gift. And yes, they all have to suffer for it. We feel like our heart is ripped open to see something like a world we took part in its creation to go down like that. But this is how it is." He shrugged, now leaning back again, crossing his arms. "We created hundreds of worlds before. This one isn't any different." He added, pointing at the table, his finger drumming on its wooden surface to emphasize what he said.

"Besides." Zhia chimed in, keeping his eyes on the goblet in front of him with which he was playing around. "Those who were left behind are now too much corrupted. The darkness realized the fall late as usual and is now using its chance to seep into the minds of the living. If they manage to make it into this world, they will corrupt everything that we worked for so far. This world isn't ready for something like that. Pure darkness..." The violet wizard added, looking at everyone but stopped to stare at Hyano. He had yet to see her in an argument with him. The wizard of knowledge against her. He wondered how long she would last against him. "If we open any magical gates towards Middle-Earth... The darkness will come right in along with them. It is waiting, lurking, watching us from the outside, wanting to enter. Would you let this darkness in? Would you want to corrupt this world before it even had the chance to truly work?" He asked, wanting to hear her opinion on this matter. "It isn't just about people and leaving them behind. It is about saving what we have now and giving it a chance to live."

Hyano could not help but sigh at the mention of darkness. She knew it would come up sooner or later. She could see the challenge in the voice and gaze of the violet wizard and was more than happy to test her mantel against him.

"Yes, I know there is a risk of darkness coming into this world but believe me when I say that darkness does not need people to get here. It will get here one way or another and if you think avoiding it will make it come any less sooner, then you obviously have never seen darkness for what it really is. You seem to think of darkness like a parasite, as if it latches onto people and follows them wherever they go... No. It is a mist and once Middle-Earth is gone... it will come here anyway, even if we let everyone of Middle-Earth die." She told him bluntly.

"Darkness is indeed a mist. But also a parasite." Zhia decided to take back the word and waved at the blue wizard to be silent now before he could utter anymore words. Their debate ended and now he wished to see what the young one wished to say. Yes, he saw her as the younger of the two, even if she was created first. Her mind was young and inexperienced. In addition, she was relying too much on emotions. Every each argument she brought up could be traced back to moral and emotions. This wizard will not bring it far with such thoughts. "It might survive on its own for a while but later, after many thousand years, it will not be able to sustain itself and will dissipate if it did not find a soul it can attach itself to." He explained, nodding to himself. He was honestly baffled at her theory about darkness. He heard about her little involvement with it and he was surprised she knew so little of it or even had so much false information. He was glad he had more knowledge or else people would blindly believe it and panic. "It can come and search now. It is trying to flee, embedding itself into the minds of desperate people, those who it thinks will manage to survive the longest. In the end, it has latched itself onto everything living. Indeed, it is already swirling close, indeed its is waiting beyond the magical barrier... Waiting for us to open the gate to this new world. And with what you propose, we would need to. Maybe darkness will not come in their soul but it will come in through the gates." He pressed on, knowing what he was talking about. "The barrier is protecting us. And no, it will not come in. It will dissipate just like every portion of darkness that was in the other worlds. Darkness here will be creating itself within the hearts of those who live here... when the world is ready. But right now... Outer-Earth couldn't take such a blow."

Hyano looked at them as if they were all crazy but was caught off guard before she could speak by a fist hitting the table and Rosa speaking up angrily. She could see some tears collecting in the corners of her eyes.

"I bet if it was an istar you would!" She yelled and Hyano cringed. "You opened the barrier to get Hyano but you would not do it for anyone else because they aren't your kind! Because to you they aren't important enough! Who are you to pick and chose who lives and dies?! Does any of you have some direct line to the gods?!" She said, then pulled her phone out and put it on the table. "If they were all meant to die then why is it this still works?! Hyano said I shouldn't have been able to use this once we got here but I have been getting messages almost constantly! So, you tell me! If you are so damn sure they are all meant to die, how is that possible?!"

Hyano blinked. She had wondered how they had found out about this in the first place but had been preoccupied with the problem and didn't think to ask. She pushed away from the table and walked over to the teen who was obviously worked up. Hearing Pallando dismiss it so easily... it had hurt. Like someone stabbing a knife into her heart over and over again.

"Calm down..." She hushed, her tone going to a more motherly one as she did what she could to calm the herder teen. With more or less success.

The istari looked at each other, emotion wasn't truly able to be read from their expression. They tried to not show any of their thoughts at the moment.

"Don't you find it strange that when you left there was only a spark of the destroying war... and yet only a week later you get a message talking about the world ending with the war? That the humans came this far, becoming so hostile to destroy themselves?" Zhia continued. He was used to debates which held much emotion, much accusation... He was good in keeping his posture. Despite the other side breaking under their realization. "When you came through the portal you didn't just jump in space... But also in time. When Hyano was saved from this situation, the world wasn't yet in such peril. But now it is. Many years passed since your departure and we cannot open the portals anymore or else the darkness will come right in. For us, a new pure world in the making is more worth than a dying one which cannot be helped. We have to know our priorities. We have to concentrate on what we can achieve after a failure."

"It hurts..." Alatar finally spoke up. He was silent all this while, leaned against his chair, picking at his food, not raising his gaze to see the debaters. He wasn't interested in the faces. He could imagine them thanks to the voices and the sounds. "It hurts that someone would think that the istari think nothing of the living beings. If that was the case, we would have not have helped create Middle-Earth either. We would have not worked hard to build its society, to raise the first creatures like the children we never had, the tree herders among the many. We taught and helped the elves, the humans... We helped create civilization, the first cities... We watched over all that was living... Being their guardian. And you speak as if we do not care..." The wizard sighed, now looking up, his gaze meeting hers. His expression showed that he was deeply offended. Just like her, her words were like stabs in his heart. He was sure the others thought the same. "You speak as if we do not mourn the loss. As if we do not think about it anymore. We were a part of that world and left parts of our own beings in it. Of course, we wish to save everything that we can, preserve the world and all that we worked for and raised." He paused, trailing off as he looked down at his food. "However, as every creator you make mistakes. Think about it like sewing a shirt. When you start, you are clumsy. You will keep making mistakes. But you do not keep the fail shirt and try to correct it if the mistake is too deep. You discard it. Then you make a new shirt, which will have mistakes still and you cannot sell that one either. You discard that too and try again. The more shirts you make, the more mistakes you will realize and correct. You do this until you made... the perfect shirt. Creating worlds, however, is far more complex than a shirt. Small mistakes grow with time. They embed themselves, eat themselves deep within. In order to make sure we can keep trying, we have to move on to a new world. We cannot stop as the new world counts on us."

Rosa looked away.

"Out of everyone here... you are the only one I believe. So far I have heard little emotion from anyone besides you and Hyano. What am I supposed to think?" She pointed out, her eyes watering. Hyano made the girl sit down and patted her head softly. "And if this is what you have kept doing over and over again... that means you all have made a mistake again and again... and I'm willing to bet part of it was giving up on the old shirt." She said, using the istar's own words. "... I work with someone making clothes regularly and I have made mistakes... but I don't disregard the old because what I made it of is still good. The fabric is fine. The product is not. So, you memorize the mistake made, then you pull the product apart until all you have is the fabric again and you use it to make something new. You are right, I may not be able to make that same shirt but in reality I don't want to anyway. I want to make something new, a better one... And if I just keep getting rid of the product... eventually I'm going to run out of fabric." She pointed out to him. She guessed her work with her mentor actually came in handy.

Hyano was actually a little proud of the young herder. Despite knowing that all these wizards outranked her and had a far greater purpose than what she was asking them to do... she still dared to stand up to them. Despite the situation... she still debated with them, she still attempted to change their mind. The orange wizard chose to not say a word, instead let her continue. Perhaps her strong will might prove a point to these wizards.

Asteri pulled out his pipe and gave it a light before blowing out some smoke.

"No offense to you, Zhia, but it might be easier for her to hear from someone who has actually stepped foot on Middle-Earth." He said calmly. "You are quite harshly saying that we are going to allow her family and friends all to die. All the herders who made a change in order to continue to protect what we could not... and we are going to leave them all behind. To be honest, I think they are stronger than any istar in this room. This girl is standing in front of a group of men who all have given up already and is still willing to try." He said, giving the girl some credit. She seemed to need it. "I will admit, though, I am torn. I have seen darkness first hand in some of the worst ways and I would hate to let it touch what we have here but... I do believe the herders are worth saving. They have proven that they are a strong and pure species despite the horror of a world they had to live in." Asteri admitted. He wasn't saying yes but he wasn't saying no either.

"I might have not been on Middle-Earth but knowledge can be gathered through fierce study. I think I know more about that world and its creation than some of you. Despite me not being there, I have been looking over the information. Very carefully." Zhia pointed out, defending his position as best as he could. "Now, thinking your example through... In order to make a new shirt of the old fabric, you said you take it apart, destroying it to a simple... fabric." He gestured, making sure to speak slower so she could understand what he was saying and imagine it at the same time. "Don't you think, that this is the process that is going on now? The shirt is being pulled apart to be the very base of it. The fabric. The barren land that this world was as well. The Valar also reuse the base of Middle-Earth as they did with the others. Creating life on itagain and again. If the mistake is so deep indeed that you cannot correct it with stitches, then you have to reduce it to its base. Only that this 'shirt' is cleansing itself from the threads and we have no say in that. And as it was said... creating worlds is far more complex than how you could imagine. Right now you are in a world which might be in the process of creation but already at the end of this process. Our work has not finished, neither will it ever finish."

"Look, we all are... broken deep down to see the world we worked on so hard fall like this as Alatar said..." Pallando spoke upagain, meeting her gaze with his hardened one. "... but we are istari. We created hundreds of worlds. We lost just as many. We hardened against these emotions and are ready to move on without looking back. Yes, our heart hurts, the world calls but the new world awaits. We are doing important work. And as such, we have no time for such things as mourning or waste resources to save something that cannot be saved, in the mean time letting evil seep into this pure land." He pointed out, then cleared his throat. "Think about the feeling of what you had when you made your first shirt. You made a mistake and indeed there is not much you can do about it. You feel sad about it. Of course. But the more shirts you make, the less emotional will you become towards its failure. And if you keep on not discarding and not taking them apart... you will have a lot of failed shirts you cannot sell. You have to learn to let go, discard it or take it apart to make it to a fabric, so you can use it again. Just like how the Valar handle the worlds."

Hyano hushed Rosa before she could get into it anymore and looked at Zhia. He was indeed sent to replace Saruman. He seemed to look at everything objectively, which was a good thing on its own but right now... the herder girl did not need this.

"Zhia, it has nothing to do with what you know. It is all about experience, being able to speak on someone's level takes less knowledge and more of simply being there and having firsthand experience. It would be like me giving you advice on this world. I may have all the answers but you are more likely to trust one of the Council than myself simply because they have real experience to go off of." She told him, then looked at the Council, her green eyes sweeping over everyone in the room. "And you all are talking about people like they are stitches. They are the fabric of the old world as well. They helped make it what it was and despite humanity's many faults... they also had many wonderful things to them as well. You also haven't answered the question of how Rosa is still receiving messages from Middle-Earth if the Valar meant for it to be just done with. If that was the case, we would not even be discussing this." She pointed out to them all.

"Of course I wouldn't trust you with it. Mainly because you didn't study this place. You know, sometimes the views of someone who wasn't there is far more clear than those who are clouded by emotions and feel attached to the world." Zhia concluded, looking at her, his eyes boring into hers as if challenging her to refute his theory. "You are only making a fuss because this is the first world you have to leave behind. Yes, I probably will be attached to this one as well, seeing this is my first world... But with time, you will play part in the creation of hundreds of more worlds. Then you will learn that your work is far more important than to dwell on the past and to try and save something that cannot be saved anymore..." He finished, pleased with himself for now. Everyone knew and remembered their first worlds when they were connected first with Arda. Yes, they all felt broken at the first few tries... But eventually they learned to let go. If they were broken each time a world perished... Then they would have died long time ago of depression and giving up living. They hardened against all this.

"If we leave anyone alive... Then how would we be able to create something new?" Pallando continued, explaining this further. "It is not up to us. Their destruction is brought to them by themselves. This is the Valar's will. They will be destroyed, just like the many hundreds of worlds. Then after we are done with this world... We get to go back to one of the bare bases and restart creation. But then we will already have more knowledge and will create a much better world."

Hyano face palmed, then tapped Rosa's shoulder.

"Go outside." She said and Rosa looked ready to protest but Hyano obviously wasn't having it.

Rosa nodded before standing up and excusing herself.

Hyano waited until she was out of the room before looking towards Zhia.

"Listen up, you know it all prick. I honestly could not care less if Middle-Earth burns to the ground. I have seen more than enough to know it's time for it to go. But if you are going to speak as such you will have some tact, especially if you are dealing with someone from that place that is about to lose it all." She snapped at him, sounding a lot like a mother defending her child. She had been protecting them for so long it was no real surprise. "Now with that said... I am not asking you to save Middle-Earth. I am asking you to save a small group of individuals, those that proved their worth and could add a lot to what you already have. Gandalf can tell you. The herders are fantastic people and would be a great asset here. They are their own race and have proven how strong and pure they are, despite the things they were put through as a race. If anything, it has only made them stronger and I think that would make a perfect addition to this land and is worth the risk."

"Now excuse me but!" Came the harsh voice of Pallando, who stood up now, defending the violet wizard, finding her tone more than unacceptable. However, before he could continue, the other blue wizard, Alatar, pulled on his robe rather strongly and pulled him back into his seat. The man looked at the culprit with a harsh gaze but he didn't seem to be fazed by it the slightest. They knew each other by now. And knew they didn't mean ill towards one another.

Zhia had been silent through this harsh exchange of words but did not reply to what Hyano said, despite her disrespect. He did not need to and was actually quite pleased with himself. He managed to show everyone just how impatient and emotion-driven she was. They were istari, mighty beings sent by the Valar to watch over the world and keep the balance from tipping. They cannot afford to be emotional like this. It was clear she was too attached to these beings and even went as far as insulting him for pointing it out. Now, she showed her true intentions and he felt his job was done.

"Now now... No need to shout, no need to scream or call each other names." Alatar said, trying to calm the three down. Hyano and Pallando, mainly. "We are far more mature than that, aren't we?" He asked, giving both of them a scolding look, before fixing Hyano in an offended gaze. "Once again, you think that we don't lose anything? What this girl is losing with the downfall of Middle-Earth is rather insignificant compared to our true loss. We are losing our work... Our creation... Our children... A part of our being. We lose all those years, thousands of years that we spent caring for that world... It breaks our hearts, even if you cannot see it." He pointed out, answering to her argument that Rosa was losing something great and that they don't understand it. This was a large lie. "We do understand her but... If we open the gates... Darkness will flood inside from around the barrier and from within the people... It is up for a reason... So nothing that is bad can come in. This is what the evil is waiting for. That we make the mistake to open a tunnel... This is why we cannot. For us, the creation of a new world, the future of the creatures on this pure world full with possibilities... is simply more worth than a few people from a dying world." He paused, looking at her, his gaze never leaving hers. "They are our creations the same way. They are our family as well. They are a loss for us too... But we cannot let this world corrupted so early in its creation and for this we will all stand united. You are young... You don't understand. Middle-Earth and those people in it are your first creatures to look after. Thousands more will follow in your life as an istar. And you have to learn to let go... To part with them for the sake of the new world." He whispered the end and stayed silent, waiting for her reply to this. He seemed to be the only one who tried to truly reason and truly explain with more emotion. But then again... Ragnarök still had to say a word on the council. Maybe he had nothing to say...

"I am not saying that you don't understand." hyano clarified with a sigh. "I am saying she doesn't. Istari express themselves differently than any other race. It is because we live even longer than the elves. We understand things they can't but if anything... that just makes us harder to understand. Rosa is but an infant compared to everyone in this room. To ask her to take news so bluntly like any of us could is asking too much. She is already going to have to go through enough... when those bombs go off... the herders will know even if the barrier holds against it... When they gave up their magical connection, their earthly one only grew stronger even when earth itself stopped speaking to them. Those bombs are going to hit and pull the very life out of the earth and when it does it will feel like they have been set on fire." She said, remembering the last time this happened. The 'testing' phrase or the few times that man had been stupid enough to actually use these weapons on others. She remembered the screams and how they kept complaining about the crying in their ears that just wouldn't stop. How bad it hurt... how helpless she felt because there was no way she could stop it. She shook her head. "Listen, I get what you are saying but I refuse to believe that the Valar allowed for these people to be made for them to just be wiped out like this. There was a lot going against them when they first made the change. It was very likely they wouldn't make it past the first generation, however they did and they have proven themselves worth saving. One family will not be enough to restart their whole kind. It just isn't possible."

"Perhaps they aren't meant to restart their kind." Came the answer from Zhia once again, who couldn't help but comment. "Yes, I can only assume this but so can you only assume that they are. Theories. They are not quite facts. Perhaps they are meant to blend in. Perhaps their kind will spread by breeding with elves." He shrugged, unsure if that was the true theory but then again, no one could know for sure. "Humanity also had quite bad chances, especially when the Dark Lord stepped up in Middle-Earth. They were his sole targets. They went through many hardships and here they are... not fit to survive and will bring down their own world." He pointed out, raising his chin, not tolerating any questioning against his knowledge.

"The tree herders' connection to Mother Earth is more difficult and complex than one thinks..." Finally came the words from Ragnarök, speaking up for the very first time since the meeting started. "However, as soon as they are pulled from one environment, they make connection to the next. As soon as they came here... they are now connected to Outer-Earth. This is why Iron bark felt nothing of the earth's suffering in Middle-Earth either. The magical barrier blocks all contact. In time and space." He pointed out but with no word did he support or go against one side or the other. He was just stating facts. Nothing more.

"Actually..." Alatar decided to chime in, humming as he raised a hand and stroked his long grey beard. "... I am sure that the usual path isn't the only way to bring them in..." However this was quickly wiped away by Zhia, who once again shook his head at the suggestion.

"Even if we are to use any other means, like teleporting... We still need to open a portal, a tunnel, a gate through time and space towards Middle-Earth. And through this tunnel anything can come in... Darkness surely will be faster than any other being. It will be there, waiting." The violet wizard stated and crossed his arms over his chest. He still did not believe that these people needed or were worthy for any kind of saving. They were meant to be destroyed on Middle-Earth but he could not explain how they were able to establish connection through time and space with them without some kind of higher interfering from those above. This was why he decided to let go of that argument.

This of course rendered the murmuring to go silent. It seemed like there was truly no way...

"Every world has a most pure core..." Came the whisper all of a sudden from Ragnaroc again, who raised his light brown eyes to look over at Gandalf, then at the other wizards slowly. "A place which darkness cannot yet reach, only upon its destruction. A source of the existing light, the last patch of peace. Where no magic and darkness has ever been... Innocence and happiness. Peace and quiet. All at one place..."

"The docks where I was picked up." Hyano chimed in. "It is the last patch of real magic left in Middle-Earth and the humans and those like them have had no desire to set foot there because of it. I had not been there myself since Gandalf left but when I returned to it... Heh, the feeling of the purity that land still held brought a lot of relief to my body." She said honestly, remembering how some of the weight and ache of her body was lifted when they reached the shore. She smiled a bit at Ragnarök and Alatar. They weren't exactly helping, more like stating facts but at least they weren't damning the idea all together.

The new brown wizard shook his head at her claim.

"Where no magic had been." He repeated this one sentence. He knew somehow that she would bring up the shore as the most pure place on Middle-Earth, so was prepared to counter that. "That place was full of magic still a few years ago but that dissipated. The moment the magic was gone, darkness seeped in... True purity can be reached by lack of magic." He whispered, looking around, his light brown eyes now stopping on the violet wizard, who seemed to be deep in thought himself, stroking his short beard thoughtfully.

"Well, wizard of knowledge?" Gandalf started, raising an eyebrow at Zhia. "Where is that pure place on Middle-Earth?" He asked, actually expecting him to know. While Hyano might think that the violet wizard knew nothing of Middle-Earth, she would be surprised just how much knowledge he gathered from it by either the Valar or the books they brought along. The memories of other istari were also helpful in the matter. This was why the White wizard respected him. He knew what he was doing and knew exactly what he was saying. He might seem almost emotionless or even harsh but this was how scientists were. They like facts and like to look at situations in a different light than those who prefer emotions and imagination.

"The Shire..." He whispered, looking up at the other, trailing off, stopping to stare at Gandalf. His words however were not as determined.

At this exact moment, they suddenly froze when they heard some kind of strange noise in the room. It was fait, rhythmic... Almost catchy. They looked among one another in confusion but eventually they were able to follow back the noise to Hyano.

Hyano jumped as she realized where the noise came from and quickly fumbled around in her pocket to fish out that bloody thing. Eventually, her fingers grasped the phone and brought it up to look at it.

This was an actual call this time.

The orange wizard was a little surprised. She looked at the group before picking up the call and putting it on speaker phone.

"Hey there. How are you doing?" She asked.

There was a gasp on the other line, then silence before the boy finally replied.

"Hyano? I thought you and my cousin left Middle-Earth? I figured this thing was dead?" The voice asked, shocked. Rosa had made a point of not replying to any of his texts. He had been just texting and calling her number just for his own sake. Had someone seriously been on the other line this whole time?

Hyano smiled a bit, looking honestly glad to hear the boy's voice, then looked up and noticed how she had drawn the other istari's attention.

"We did, hun. Seems the phone still works rather well here. I'm currently sitting with some of my friends. Remember the stories I told you about Gandalf and the others? Well, there are even more than that." She told him.

"Cool! Has Gandalf pulled any pranks on you yet?" The boy on the other side of the line asked instantly which earned a snicker from Hyano.

She shook her head.

"One or two. Sorry but I am going to have to cut this short. Can you tell me how things are going over there?" She questioned.

The other line went silent for a while before the voice replied. It was quite cheerful before, clearly shocked and happy to be able to speak to the orange wizard but once he spoke again... there was no trace of any of that.

"Not so good, Hyano... Everyone seems to be mad at everyone... and anyone who isn't taking sides is just as bad... Namely us. Many of my best friends seem to hate me now. I don't understand what I did wrong... Did I do something wrong?" He explained.

Hyano leaned back in her chair. She remembered hearing this before.

"No, hun... It isn't you at all..." She said and thought things over for a minute. "Tell me... has anyone touched the Shire?" She asked, changing the subject quickly. She could tell the boy must have gone through quite a lot lately, and she was also in a hurry to finish this before the line gets cut. It could at any moment.

"What? No, I don't think so. It seems like no one cares. I guess everyone thinks that place is useless because I don't think anyone has been there in years." The boy replied.

The wizards met each other's gaze at the news. Is this person truly there now? Of course he was, wasn't he? But still...

"How do we know that darkness didn't start infecting that place as well?" Came the thought from Pallando, who drummed his fingers on the wooden surface of the table, drawing all attention to him. "In the last years of peril, darkness would have already made it its home. No need for anyone to live there... It is in the very air..." These words once again awoke some doubt in this theory. "There is no way to see that darkness... so they cannot tell... How do we know that evil has not spread there too?"

"We can't... It's a gamble." Asteri spoke up. "There is no way of telling unless we are there. Someone would have to go to Middle-Earth and take the risk of not being able to come back." He added.

"Hyano what is going on?" Came the voice from the other end of the line, clearly a bit confused and concerned about all the voices he was hearing. He could pick up bits and pieces probably but not enough to know what they were talking about.

"Nothing yet, hun. I will call you back later, alright?" The orange wizard said and before the voice could protest she hung up. She did not want to give the boy any false hopes by telling him there was in fact a chance he could be saved. Not yet anyway. "I would say I would go but that would be a useless trip. My body has been broken down too much as it is. If I go... I will just be cut at the knees by the lack of magic and there would be no chance for a return trip." She said, a little annoyed by this. However, going so many years had done quite a number on her body and while the magic here was keeping it from being visible... the moment she went back... she would likely crumble in a matter of seconds.

"Didn't you listen to what I was saying?" The violet wizard said slowly but raised his voice to point out his annoyance. "If we go there, we need to open a portal... a gate... And if there is darkness... then that thing won't wait but will come right in once you even make a step outside towards Middle-Earth. We cannot take the risk." He explained the umpteenth time today. "A portal goes two ways. One can come in and go out. By the time you make it to Middle-Earth, we will get whole dark clouds of pure darkness swirling above our heads!" He shouted, banging his fist on the table, kind of irritated that no one was paying any attention to what he was saying. Perhaps now they will understand.

"We can make a portal, Hyano. It can be made by all of us. If we combine our forces, we will be able to open one and ensure return, keeping it up long enough..." Gandalf told her, turning his gaze towards her own, then nodded towards Zhia. "But he has a point. We open a portal, darkness will come in, if there is any, so going there ourselves will not be an option for this..."

"But... How could we know... Who is right...? How could we test it?" Pallando murmured, stroking his beard, grimacing. "Maybe... we could open a smaller one for a moment... that little darkness wouldn't be a big problem... But in only so little time we cannot test it ourselves... We aren't sensitive enough..." He pondered, looking around at the others but soon all attention turned towards the White wizard, who cleared his throat.

"I think... I might just know the candidate..." Gandalf trailed off mysteriously, then slowly turned his blue eyes towards the orange wizard with a knowing gaze. They actually... might have someone... who would be sensitive enough towards darkness... "And... this will be the next topic of our meeting..."

This confused the rest of the wizards, who turned their expectant gaze towards the female istar.

Hyano's eyes widened at the suggestion. She seemed to think it over for a moment. She honestly did not know what to say... She will need to speak to him about this before she could promise this happening. With the wizards being the ones who require his help... he might actually not do this out of his hate towards them. But she will need to give this more thought. For now, she felt all the gazes on her, so decided to speak up.

"He is talking about the wraith I brought back with me." She stated bluntly which earned the biggest reaction from Asteri as he turned basically pale at the news, considering he too had firsthand experience with their kind.

Gasps and sounds of shock filled the room at the mention of the wraith, the wizards all started to talk at the same time, only when Gandalf loudly tapped the ground with his staff did they quiet down.

"You brought back a what?!" Asteri finally snapped, shedding his thoughtful and silent self all of a sudden, surprising even the others in the room. Forget any darkness that could possibly be brought because of a portal... This was more than enough.

"How dare you bring such a creature into Outer-Earth! Are you out of your mind? In this case we can easily just open a portal and send in everything dark. We already have a source of evil and corruption inside." Pallando almost shouted in fury, standing up, pointing at Hyano, and practically accusing her quite fast for the possible fall of this world. "We have to destroy that thing before it can truly do anything bad. I don't care that you spent time with him, his very presence makes our work to nothing." He continued, taking a deep breath, trying to calm down but it did not seem to work. Once again, Alatar reached out and pulled the other blue wizard down into his seat, shaking his head at him.

"He is stable! I spent the past two weeks in a bloody cave with him... We are forcibly connected. I will explain more into it later but for now... if you suggest this to him he will likely turn you down. Wraiths are nothing short of prideful creatures. If he thinks you want to use him as a guinea pig he will be both disrespected and agitated. He also will have a similar problem to me. The lack of magic will hit like a tidal wave. You have one shot for a very short amount of time... and if he doesn't get back... well..." Hyano looked back at Gandalf. If the wraith didn't get back... that was it for the orange wizard too.

"I think... it would be best if you truly explained everything to the Council, Hyano. From the very start." The White wizard whispered to her, leaning to the side and gestured towards all the istari, who seemed to be agitated, stressed and completely furious at the same time. They didn't understand how such a creature was even let to enter. "And don't speak like they should know... Show some respect when speaking and explain. They don't know anything." He made sure to warn her. Somehow he had the feeling that if he didn't do that, Hyano would just say a few words and in such a manner as if it was obvious knowledge that she was tied to the Nazgul. She will need to explain indeed. And very detailed as well. This was their current topic now, after all.

The orange wizard met Pollando's glare with her own gaze, though, it seemed to be full of understanding. She did not blame him for his anger. If she was in his place she was sure she would feel the same way. At Gandalf's words she sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Something she had not done in some time.

"Alright... from the start, then?" She asked, although she did not wait for a reply and instead thought about what to say for a couple of seconds before starting. "As you all may know I was friends with Ren the wraith back when he was human. I was assigned to be his court wizard. Part of my training and all that." She explained and looked around the room to make sure everyone indeed knew about this. She did not see any confused stares, not even from the new wizards, so she did not see why she could not continue. "I bore witness to his transformation. In order to spare me the pain this loss caused me... my memory was blocked." Her gaze flickered towards Gandalf for a moment. "I met Ren again as a full wraith. I had no idea I had met him before and since I had no involvement with the war of the ring, I really had no idea what I was looking at either." There was a small smile appearing on her lips as she remembered all the fun times that followed this. She could probably talk about this for hours without end but she knew she had to be as short as possible. "So again... we became friends. Some chaos went about and long story short... my memory was taken... again and Ren was taken away. Not long ago I met him again. He, among other things in the dark city, had been dug up and put on display. By this point the lack of magic in the world had turned Ren to stone... When I made the mistake of touching him... he was broken from his stone prison... and now we are forcibly connected. Without him I can't tap into the magical energy in this world... If you all let your senses search you will see I am currently not drawing in any magic at all. I can't. Neither can he, which means if Ren dies... so do I and vice versa. That is why he is here... I didn't exactly have any other choice." She explained, keeping her words clear and to the point and was ready to hear the arguments. She already knew them all... and she was ready to hear them as well.

"A great mistake indeed..." Came the voice of the violet wizard. "While you had no memories of _him_ , you surely had memories of his kind. So why didn't you just destroy the stone once you saw it? This would have been your duty as istar. To protect the world. This would have meant one less evil." Zhia pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest, hearing agreeing murmurs from his sides. "Instead now we have the first evil in this world... Why don't we, indeed, just open that portal and let in everything... This world is doomed anyway." He shrugged, now finally showed that he didn't even care anymore. With the Nazgul here, evil already set foot into Outer-Earth, so they could already request from the Valar to be taken to the next barren world. "This is a mistake you will have to correct yourself. Either find a way to bind yourself to something or someone else... or destroy yourself and take him with you." There were now gasps coming from the room, all looking at him dumbfounded, however he knew what he was talking about. "We don't know how much this thing changed you... and we don't need another Saruman." Silence engulfed the room, some actually agreeing, while others didn't dare utter a word as they were not sure themselves. But him calling her the next potential 'Saruman'... they knew it surely was a strong blow. They did not want a part of that.

"I see that while you are very wise you also lack people skills. You should start working on that." Hyano said rather calmly, despite the harsh statements he just made. This had been exactly what she expected, going from welcomed into the Order to likely the new 'Saruman'. She thought that idea insulting really for more than one reason. None she really wanted to discuss, though. "I just spent two weeks in a cave with the wraith. In that time I was able to alter the connection. Before I was acting like a sift, changing the magic here into the dark magic he needed. Now I control the magic he gets and I have been altering it to a more balanced state. He has changed quite a bit, noticeably in personality. I would also like to point out that your world isn't doomed yet, so quit being so bloody dramatic. If you all are so ready to give up just because of this... Valar help you if we ever face anything like Sauron in the future." She stated, continuing to explain herself and also noting her displeasure with how they seemed to just give up.

It was rather... depressing, really.

"You forget that you aren't the only one in control of the magic between you." This time Pallando spoke up, raising his chin, agreeing with Zhia of course, trusting his hard earned knowledge and, of course, he had his own doubts. Who wouldn't have one... They were confident in keeping this world untouched by darkness until it was ready for it. "You might have more say at the moment but in the next he can alter it too... He has just as much right to control it as you, only that this control from his side is unpredictable. His ring will not let you alter too many things. Sauron's curse and enchantment is too great for any wizard. You cannot undo it; neither can you achieve significant changes." He pointed out, narrowing his eyes, watching her suspiciously. "We will find a way to tie you to something else and then we shall destroy the creature. It cannot stay. Or perhaps... you are defending it now?" He asked, watching her carefully. After Saruman's betrayal any such signs of doubt will be taken into account and they won't waste time to act.

"Yes, I am." The orange wizard said, not making any move to hide it as she looked at Pallando. "I defend him like I would anyone else and you are correct in that I can't change him completely. That is impossible, however I can shift him to a more balanced state. I have already had my battle with the ring..." She shook her head, remembering that little fight. That had not been pleasant to say the least. "And stop calling him a creature. Last time I checked, just because he became a wraith it not change the fact that he in fact was a man. At least show some respect." She added simply. The way they spoke of the wraith... one could tell they did not see them as anything more than dark creatures of the Dark Lord. "I am not saying he isn't a threat, however he isn't nearly the threat you give him credit of being. He thinks, feels,.. he even dreams now. I would say that is a great improvement." She said with a slight smile.

"You forget that he is not a 'person' anymore, as you like to put it." Zhia said, narrowing his eyes at the girl, not at all liking it how she seems to be on his side... This made him silently question her true loyalty. Neither did he like her attitude. She was talking to them like she owned the Order. If it was up to him, she would learn discipline and respect by punishing her heavily for this behavior. "This thing is nothing more but darkness. Pure evil. He was created to destroy and who is to say that he will not snap one day and kill people? He was made to corrupt, to kill. Many innocent lives were wiped out by these creatures. They feel nothing, they have no compassion and no mercy. They have no emotions and no way would they cooperate with the light and the good. That wraith is evil to the core and just wait... Once he regains his aura... The ring ties him to his master and the dark magic. And if the Valar do not watch and he comes back... and he gives the order to kill to this creature... He will not hesitate to destroy you in return." He pointed out and looked at the others, seeing nothing more but agreeing gazes. The istari knew these creatures, saw the destruction they could cause and what they can do... In this case her inexperience could lead to her misjudgment. "You don't know anything about them if you are defending one. They are no pets, they are no friends... They only do what they know will benefit them. Nothing more. And I highly do not care what kind of development he went through or what fight you did with the ring. The power of the enchantment will be always in place and will always affect him. It is even affecting you as it seems..."

Hyano raised a brow at his claim of her not knowing anything about the wraith. She looked at Gandalf wondering if he was serious before looking at Zhia.

"I am more than aware he will kill me if he feels the need to, Zhia. He has tried several times now." She said and tapped the new mark she sported on her neck. "And if you think you know anymore about a wraith than Asteri and I do, then you need your head slammed with every book you own." She added, resting her head on her hand. She looked at Asteri who had been quiet so far before looking at Zhia again. "I know exactly who and what I am dealing with and to be honest, I have seen the humans do worse. Sauron isn't even crazy enough to do half the things I have seen the humans do over the years. You haven't even spoken or seen the 'creature', yet you are willing to condom him already. Remind me to not to let you ever be my prosecutor." She added. She seemed to only really be talking to Zhia here so she focused her attention on him.

"Knowledge gathered from books and memories are just as much worth as experiencing them. Even better, since you can see everything as non-involved, third person. You see everything the way they are without being clouded by emotions." The violet wizard pointed out, not liking that she is questioning his knowledge. She doesn't know the extent of what he gathered so far and how much he knew about everything. She was the only one who questioned him and the facts he was listing, so he started to think that his suspicion was indeed valid. She was affected by the darkness. "If you question my worth in this council one more time, I will request your removal. I will not tolerate such attacks against my person." He demanded, watching her with a harsh gaze, awaiting if she will attack him verbally again. "And I advise you pull back on your tone and your challenging words. This is not fit for a wizard in the Order. We aren't among human children anymore."

"Books or not books, memories or not... Everything is the same once enough time goes by. Even we forget some information, which we have to refresh by reading." Pallando said, defending Zhia of course and for once came the curt nod from Alatar as well, who agreed. "And besides, I agree with him. I was there to see what they can do, fought them personally, unlike you who only saw a wraith the first time when that thing showed up in front of you and can say that such a creature only means trouble. You have not seen any other wraith, you do not know what they are capable of doing. His darkness is rubbing off of him into this world. We don't need that. He needs to go." He also demanded, crossing his arms. Surprisingly, also a nod came from Ragnarök, agreeing with the mention that this creature did not belong in this world and could become dangerous. There was no doubt... They didn't even need to vote...

Hyano watched them for a moment before standing up, again keeping her eyes on Zhia.

"The amount you can learn from books is limited because people and creatures vary, are unpredictable. You cannot write these things down because there are too many variables. While I do not doubt you are very wise... I do doubt you can make a clear judgment before even meeting Ren and seeing for yourself who he really is as not only a wraith but a person." She replied, then looked at the council. "However, it seems such action is not needed. Everyone here would rather solve their problems as simply as possible... Destroy the wraith and you destroy me." She told them with her hands in her pockets. "Oh, by the way, Zhia. There are a few books in the shack I think you would be interested in. Some history accounts from back in Middle-Earths and also a few science manuals." She added, as if it was an afterthought to everything that was going on. She had brought them without really thinking about it and had honestly wondered what she would do with it. Seeing the bookworm now, she found he might get more use out of them than she would.

"Books and memories. And not just one kind of book but many types of it, so yes, I can see most varieties and I need not to know the wraith personally to know that I would be dealing with darkness itself. A creature that shouldn't be. He was never meant to be. How do you know if deep down he is not yearning for eternal rest? Immortality cannot be processed by those who aren't made to have this trait." Zhia explained further, pointing out the extent of his knowledge. She was going on about this as if he was just reading a single big book. There was more than that and memories give him a more suitable view of the happenings. He didn't see why this wasn't a valid source of knowledge.

"We don't mean to destroy you." Alatar spoke up, waving at the two to stop their bickering. "I am sure we will be able to find a way to tie you to someone else. Then we can destroy this creature. You are one member of the Order, so we do everything to protect you as long as we are here. But the wraith must go. So, try not to get emotionally attached to it... Or if you are already... then try to build up distance. He cannot stay. No matter how much you made him change... no matter what he said, what he did, he is a creature that was never meant to exist, that corrupts this new world as we speak. He is a danger to all."

Hyano sighed heavily, shaking her head at the stubbornness of those around her. They would not understand that no matter what solutions they find, she would never let them harm Ren. On the other hand, this connection does hold a danger for them both. Perhaps finding a way on how to separate them was not such a bad idea. But how could they do anything like this? A spell? Not even Gandalf was able to find anything that could help them. That is before an idea came to her mind.

"... Maybe this could contain something to help?" She questioned before pulling off her backpack and reaching into it. She dropped the book she had recovered from Moria. The very book she learned dark magic from, which miraculously survived all these years, only to be found again inside her old room. "This is the dark magic spell book I studied for a time at Moria... There are many... interesting spells in it." She suggested. She also knew this was admitting there was a darkness inside herself but she was also offering a solution to it. She honestly wasn't sure why this came to mind.

The nearest istar, Pallando, took the book from her, and looked it over. The book itself didn't contain any darkness, thank goodness, but he was sure that the content was not as nice either. They will need to get rid of this book as well while they were there...

"Interesting..." The blue wizard said as the book landed at him, opening it to see the first few pages. "I have never seen this book before... And I have seen much. Seems to contain a lot about dark magic. From small to complex magical tricks. Someone must have written it and used it to learn some dark powers." He continued, referring to Saruman, then gave the book to Asteri to look it over first before it could land at Zhia. Yes, he suspected and knew it belonged to the old wizard of many colors. He could recognize his handwriting.

"We will look it over and see what we can do." The violet wizard explained. "Once we have the spell, then we will have to practice it. And it won't be nice. You two are the only ones with darkness. So you will be our test subjects." Zhia said, looking at her, then his gaze traveled to the book that had yet to reach him. Well, in his mind they were done with this topic.

"We can still use the wraith to see if any darkness is around the Shire..." Alatar shrugged. "At least give him some use while he is here. We didn't say to open a full portal and send him through it..." He said, looking at Hyano, correcting what she was starting to say before they went on with this subject. "We said to open a smaller one briefly, let the air flow in somewhat so he can feel the consistence. He should be sensitive enough to feel the tiniest amount of darkness."

Asteri looked over the book for a moment, also able to recognize the writing and the manner, the tone in which it was written. There was no doubt.

"So, this is what Saruman was working on." He said remembering how the istar had put so much work into a book yet had made a point of not sharing its contents. He used to tease the White wizard about having a journal... this was in a way just that... however it was a very dark one. He then handed it over to Zhia.

Hyano could only shrug.

"Then, the only problem is his pride... I will think of something with that, though. If he is willing, then we have nothing to worry about." She said, putting her backpack on again and put her hands into her pockets.

"I am sure you can convince him. Especially how you said you know him. Just say the right things and he will comply." Alatar said as the book passed him as well but did not find any interest in it, instead let Zhia take it.

The violet wizard hummed as the book was put in his hand and ran a finger along its spine and stroked the cover. It was old indeed. While it contained no dark magic, it did contain some kind of power. He will make sure to find out what power it was. He put the book down, intending to read it later.

Suddenly, an uncomfortable silence set over the council. Everyone was looking at the other, trying to tell if they wanted to add anything more to the subject but as it seemed, they all said what needed to be said. The book will be carefully stashed away and studied to solve this little issue they were having with the wraith.

"Alright. I think the two topics had been discussed. If you wish to leave, you are free to do so. The council however has still a lot to discuss." Gandalf offered, knowing that Hyano -as a new Order member- might not be able to sit for hours in one place, discussing matters that do not concern her. He will excuse her this one time but he will make her participate more in the next few until she will be forced to sit there all day. He also suspected that she might have other matters to attend to, like comforting Rosa and taking care of the wraith.

Hyano thought the offer over for a moment but the phone rang before she could make a decision. She laughed lightly and stood up. Seems like the decision was made for her.

"I think that is my answer. I did tell Wally I would call back, after all." She said as she stood up. "Alright I will go. I will see you all later. Zhia, make a point of stopping by the shack if you can. Those books are just going to take up space otherwise." She instructed, bowing her head as she excused herself and made her way out.

* * *

 _\- back in the city -_

Rosa had found a spot by the door and had actually fallen asleep. She was worn out, tied and had been worrying too much in the past hours. She honestly wondered if she will be able to have a good night's sleep. This will eat her up...

In the mean time, Hyano managed to catch up with her and reached the new home of the herder people. Luckily, she was good with location and her memory was reliable, so she was able to find the house despite only having been shown once. The sight of the tired herder girl made Hyano smile before nudging her with her foot as she held out the phone for her. She already talked to the boy on the other side of the line. She thought if this did end up being the last time they got to talk... she found they had the right to speak as much time as they pleased. However, she was surprised when Rosa just looked up at her and although she did take the phone, she did not make a move to call anyone. If anything, there was something wrong...

"Hyano..." Rosa started as she gazed up onto her and sighed sadly. "Lilly..." She trailed off and averted her gaze.

Hyano's eyes widened and quickly rushed inside without saying another word.

* * *

 **We thought about cutting the council half but then again... why would we force our readers to read this in two chapters? Better make it one.**

 **See you all in two weeks!**

 _CA Productions_


	13. Deep Within the Mind

**Two weeks are up, so as usual, here is something more to munch on.**

 _CA Productions_

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 13 - Deep Within the Mind

It had been a few hours but eventually every istari gave their reports and findings, telling everyone about their progress in the past hundred years. Everything seemed to be in order, so Gandalf closed the meeting, releasing the wizards to do as they were supposed to by their nature.

Wander.

They rarely visited this part of Outer-Earth, so they used every moment of this little free time from their duties to enjoy what the world offered. Peace and quiet, purity and the busy sounds of nature, that without having to go about and patrol, taking care of their own tasks. They were free to do as they wished.

While Alatar and Pallando left to look at the magical forest in the middle of the elven city, Ragnarök was busy studying the book Hyano gave them, humming and grimacing at places. From what he saw and read, this might be the work of Saruman indeed. Full of unnatural and disgraceful spells, written in the language of man and Black Speech at the same time. He could see from the words themselves that these spells were all meant to do horrible things... And they required one thing he did not have and never wished to acquire...

Dark magic.

This place shall be void of it if he could help it. While he was still reading and trying to find a solution to the problem, attempting to find the spell the orange wizard was suggesting, his mind was elsewhere, remembering the small conversation he stumbled into when he left their Council room, having caught The White wizard having a small debate with Zhia.

* * *

 _-flashback-_

"If you would just hear me out..." Ragnarök heard this while made his way out of the magical door they created to exit and enter the old Council room and blinked in surprise, having recognized Gandalf's voice. Frowning at the calm and yet somewhat irritated tone, the brown wizard followed after it. He almost managed to walk right into the conversation but stopped himself just in time, staying behind a corner, while peeking around it, noticing the White wizard speaking to Zhia, the violet wizard. This was no surprise for him... He expected the strict istar to have a private conversation in which he questioned Gandalf's leading skills. He always did that. He just wasn't sure if it was because of his predecessor having been the leader and so considered himself the rightful one or because he felt some kind of responsibility towards the wellbeing of the Order? He did not know that...

"You cannot be serious!" Zhia basically snarled at Gandalf as he leaned in closer, glaring daggers at him, his teeth showing, seething in anger. "She is not only new to this world and has a lot to learn but her behavior needs a good looking into. She speaks to us like we are old buddies! Like we are children who know nothing!" The istar threw his arms up to make a point, then put them onto his waist, continuing his complaint. "She is friends with the darkness, Gandalf! With the darkness! How can you let someone like this join the Order?"

"I have my reasons, Zhia. Besides... are we all not old friends? Since when did we need to address one another differently?" Was the calm reply Ragnarök heard from the White wizard, who clearly did not take these harsh words to heart and kept a cool head, despite what Zhia might be throwing at it. He truly admired this about their wise leader, although he probably should not expect anything less. "Some of the reasons are not my own. She is ready and is to take part in the duties of our Order. Nothing you say will change that."

"We will see about that!" The violet wizard dared, stepping closer to the other, as if threatening him for a moment before realizing what he was doing and shifted his position again to keep a respectable distance between them. "Now I see what this is all about..." He trailed off, his voice slightly lower for some reason. Perhaps he understood that Gandalf was right and he cannot change the content of the announcement, neither can they revoke her place among them. Not so soon. "I tell you what this is about... You have gone soft on her. You spent so much time with her over the years that you would do everything to make her happy. You have grown too blind. Blinded by a fatherly love towards all her mistakes, towards what she has become. A-..."

"That is enough, Zhia." Gandalf interrupted him firmly. The brown wizard understood that this might have hit hard and the violet wizard probably treaded on dangerous ground. Perhaps he should not have gone this far but then again... he was also curious now. Just like everyone else in the Council, they noticed Hyano's odd behavior and wondered just as much why Gandalf was so tolerant towards it. Perhaps there was... something about all that Zhia said true...? How could he think that? Ragnarök scolded himself inwardly and shook his head. Fights among themselves would only cause trouble and they should never question one another. Never. Simply, because there was no reason to... "This has nothing to do with feelings, neither with any kind of love. However, I am not in the mood to discuss this with you. Not right now."

"Then when will that time be, Gandalf? Because no matter where I look and how I look at it... All I see is uncertainty and blindness." Zhia replied, his voice but a whisper, trying to coax an answer from the White wizard.

"Perhaps once you start to see instead of just looking... Maybe you will understand then." Was all Gandalf said before the sound of steps chased the brown wizard away.

 _-end flashback-_

* * *

Even today Ragnarök did not understand Gandalf's reply. What was there to see? Unlike Zhia, he could recognize one can walk around and look around completely blind to their surroundings, without looking deeper into it all. Zhia had the habit of looking at everything in an objective manner... The brown wizard, much like the White, saw way beyond what he could look at. His duties required it. After all, one can look at a snarling snake wolf like it was about to attack or see that it was as scared of him as he was of it and back off to soothe its mind. One can see how the trees feel, what the flowers think, what the wind says and how the earth still rumbles under their feet.

Ragnarök knew it all too well.

But this still bothered him. What were they not seeing? He should be able to but he did not. He shared the thoughts of Zhia and saw Hyano not all too fit for the Order just yet. She needs to show some respect, although he could understand her worry and desperation. She was an... interesting character to say the least and was not sure what to think about her just yet.

Thinking he was maybe judging her too much, he decided to set out and see the truth for himself or at the very least clear his mind with a walk around the forest. He grabbed his wizard cap and his staff, then shut the door behind him and took a deep breath of the fresh air around him, then with a big smile on his face, he stepped away from his temporary home. He stopped by a few trees to stroke their barks gently, feeling the life pulsating inside and smiled at the small flowers which turned towards the warm sun to consume what they needed. It seemed like nature was happy around here, which was a nice change of the cold north. Or the rather barren west...

While he walked and observed his handiwork here, he also read the book he was reading before which he took along, not wanting to waste precious time. Hearing something in the distance, however, he looked up and managed to notice a figure walking down a path not far. To his luck, it was actually the one he was looking for.

Hyano was walking back towards the shack; however she took a slight detour back into the forest. Seems like the youngest herder child has finally caught chicken pox. She did not like it one bit either. Hyano couldn't blame her, though. The constant itching had to be horrible. Thankfully that was one thing Hyano was immune to. However, she had told her and her mother that Lilly would have to stay in her room and away from other children until it passed, considering this was a disease that could prove fatal to those with no immunities to it at all, it was best not to risk any of the elven children catching it. Also, Lilly would be more susceptible to any diseases here that were not known of back in Middle-Earth and the same results might be at play. Lilly had, of course, been against this idea but the moment she heard she could possibly kill her friend... she ran and hid in her room and ordered her sister and mother to clean the house before the men got home. She did not want Naril getting sick because of her... or worse. So now, Hyano was searching through the forest for various herbs she could make an anti-itching cream out of for the youngest herder. This proved a little harder than she thought, considering there was a lack of many of the herbs she was used to and an abundance of ones she wasn't used to. She stopped her search when she heard a voice and then raised a brow when she saw a brown robe.

"Huh... wasn't expecting to see you so soon." She admitted honestly, smiling at the new brown wizard, who must have called out for her just now. With all her thoughts going on within her head... it was a miracle she heard it. She thought they would be all going back to where they came from already.

Ragnarök instantly couldn't help but smile, stepping up to her in a rather cheerful manner, clearly awed at the fauna and flora that this place displayed and happy about having ran into her so soon. He expected to having to walk around for a couple of hours but his luck was marvelous today.

"Ah, nice to see you again. The meeting has ended, so for now we are free to wander around. This place is... magnificent. Normally I am the first one around in forests, taking care of them until it can sustain an ecosystem... So I never see it in all its glory." He quickly explained, his brown eyes wandering to the nearest flower, admiring its color and beauty.

Hyano giggled a bit at Ragnarök's reaction. She seemed far more relaxed now that she wasn't under the pressure of the meeting.

"I have to agree. Back in Middle-Earth, I was the one taking care of the ecosystem after Radagast's death, so I got to see many come and go. It was very fascinating. Sadly, it is causing me some trouble at the moment. There are many plants here I don't know and I don't exactly have the time to experiment to find out what does what. I need to make an anti-itching cream for the littlest tree herder to help her through the disease she currently has or she will end up scratching herself and scarring her skin." She said, rubbing the back of her head and sighed in mild annoyance.

"Then you asked just the right person." Ragnarök replied, gesturing to himself with a bright smile. He was the one who took care of all the plants around here when this land was young. Of course, he knew each plant and what they could do. He was... in a way sent here with this knowledge. After all, he needed to know what he was dealing with when helping them grow and spread. Although... the way she said it he wasn't sure why a tree herder would itch and why they would need anything for it... But no matter. "Oh look! That one!" He practically shouted, then quickly hurried over to a blue plant that was growing in the shade of a tree, very tight to it. "You could apply this. Just mash the petals in a bowl, add honey and milk, then put it on the skin. It will also smell good." He nodded, pleased with himself, before frowning. "But why would a tree herder itch?"

The orange wizard smiled as he provided her with a solution. She took the plant and looked it over. She remembered something similar back home but it had very different effects if applied to the skin. When asked about the little tree herder's illness she smiled sheepishly.

"It is a disease called chicken pox. Back home it is common for all children to catch it around her age. It causes little bumps to appear on the skin that itch terribly but if scratched it only makes things worse and if you scratch them open... it causes mild scarring." She explained. "Because their culture and most of the cultures back in Middle-Earth have all had it, the disease is just a mild annoyance all children go through. It has a habit of causing the body's immune system to become weak, though, so I have asked that she stays away from the elves until she gets better. I'm not sure but this disease has proven fatal to many on its first time through a species, so I would rather not see any elves catch it if possible." She added.

This didn't really answer the brown istar's question...

"How can a tree herder get any such sickness? How can they even itch? I have never seen such a thing happen..." He replied, clearly confused about this illness. They were trees... Trees did not have skin diseases."Oh well... This helps mostly on many. The thicker the skin the more needs to be applied too." He shrugged.

Hyano quickly realized why he was so confused and giggled.

"I forgot. You all haven't met the family yet. They aren't like tree herders you are used to. They look a lot like humans actually... but different. It is hard to explain. You would have to meet them for yourself. anyway. I guess a basic summary is their ancestors made a change a long time ago that made their bodies less dependent on magic, so they could continue protecting the trees. If you ever get the time I would very much encourage you to go meet them... though if everything turns out well we will be getting more, so you will meet some anyway." She replied with a smile and started walking. "You want to come to the shack? I'm dying for some good food right now. Two weeks of nothing but mushrooms did nothing for me at all." She said with a laugh.

"Sure. But I think Rosa was from that family, then? I mean Gandalf said the same thing when talking about her family. Astonishing what magic can do to a being, right?" Ragnarök mused as he followed along. Of course, he didn't remember anything being said about the wraith being held there for the moment.

At the mention of Rosa, Hyano nodded, having forgotten for a moment that they indeed met one of their kind already. She was with them on the meeting and Gandalf mentioned he already explained to them what they were. She truly will need some time to get her mind together. Her imprisonment did not do anything good for it as it seemed.

"Yes actually. She is the oldest child of the Razorleaf family. There are three children total and then their parents. Lilly is the one currently sick. Cane is the only boy among the three. Then you have Will and Holly." She said with a smile.

"Fascinating... They began to breed much like humans and elves." The brown wizard mused, a wide smile appearing on his lips as he thought about it. From magical trees to human-like creatures. One could not even tell Rosa was descended from modified tree herders. "I must meet them at once. I would like to take a look at them, just to see the transformation they went through and see just how different yet similar they are to humans and elves." He continued, already making plans in his mind. It was pleasant to finally speak to someone who seemed to have the same interests as him. nature and its creatures were his specialty and his life.

"I am sure they would not mind. I mean, I am sure they are also curio-..." Hyano stopped as she noticed an elf... In a tree... Aiming bow at... At... She couldn't tell. She thought he was one of the guards for the shack but why in Middle-Earth was he in a tree. That was until she looked in the direction where he was aiming at and saw... The shrunken head decoration from Halloween hanging from a different tree. It had several arrows in it at this point but none had damaged the sensor which meant every time something went in front of it, the device would make the eyes glow and let out a heart wrenching scream. Hyano would have been agitated... if it wasn't so damn funny. She did everything she could to hold in her laughter but it wasn't hard to see by the grin on her face that she was fighting a losing battle. It only grew worse as she saw the rest of the chaos.

Ragnarök raised an eyebrow as she stopped in the middle of the sentence and looked at her, then slowly followed the direction she was looking at. At first he wasn't sure what he was seeing but... Just after a few seconds he could swear he was looking at a battlefield. There were countless elven guards scattered around, as Hyano could tell at least three times as many as with what they left the shack. There were still some elves hanging from trees upside down, although in the process of being cut off from their rope traps by their kin. There were some who looked like something was dumped on them. A few had different colors on them, others -no doubt- had even glue in their hair and there was another group that smelled maybe much better than any other but it was so strong and intense that it could hurt anyone's senses. Then there was the other group that stood away, seemingly exiled from the rest. Even from this distance it was clear why. They smelled extremely bad. Rotten even. So, someone had a great deal of fun while the wizard was gone. He sniffed the air, grimacing at the mixed scents and shook his head.

"What in the name of all the holy Valar happened here?" He asked, stepping forward, in front of the orange wizard.

Hyano couldn't help it as she fell onto her knees, laughing so hard her sides hurt. She laughed for a good five minutes before standing again and wiping the tears from her eyes. She then made her way to the shack, not waiting for an answer since she already knew what it was. It may seem heartless to anyone else but she grew up being pranked by this wraith, so to her it all just looked bloody hilarious.

While she seemed to have a good time, the brown wizard couldn't help but only think of a disaster than a funny prank by anyone. He watched as the orange wizard laughed so hard she shed tears, looking at her with a strange look before deciding that this wasn't the time to wonder about such things, maybe the mushrooms have some kind of effect on her after all. How can someone laugh at such a thing? Well, Ragnarök did snicker a little after all but eventually he went to help the elves and ask about what happened.

She watched as the brown istar approached the elf that was still aiming at the decoration and shook her head, however a thought came to Hyano's mind as she got to the door of the shack.

"Ren! I swear to Mordor... If you trashed the shack, I'm blasting you through a wall!" She yelled as she kicked the door open. With the chaos he had created outside she was dreading what he did to the inside of the shack.

The shack... let's say... wasn't in a better shape than her home was when he first arrived there. He made sure to look around in every corner, in every shelf, emptying their content to see what was worth keeping. The shack looked like a tornado swept through it... Scratch that... At least four tornadoes! Everything was on the floor, scattered, even those that looked fragile. Some things were broken, many potions were opened, their content spilled. A bunch of items however were neatly stacked into a corner as his little hoard. Anything that shined, had an unusual form and made interesting noises or was colorful, landed in his stash in the corner.

However... There was no wraith in sight...

Hyano twitched. At least it didn't smell like whatever the Void he dropped on those elves outside.

"... REN, YOU SON OF A WARG, WHERE ARE YOU?!" She yelled, not caring who heard her speak in whatever tongue she was using. At the moment she had bigger problems to worry about like where in all of Outer-Earth the wraith got off to. "Some guards." She grumbled as she made an onceover of the shack again before turning and gasped when she bumped into the chest of none other than the object of her... 'desire'.

He just... stood there, staring at her, tilting his head to the side with confusion and curiosity as if everything was in the perfect order in the whole world.

While she searched around, he managed to come back and sneak in through the door, only to find the orange wizard there.

"No need to shout." He started. "I am right here." He added, then casually as if nothing happened he walked over to his little stash of new items, putting an elven bow into the pile. How he managed to snatch that one was a mystery. All in all, the Nazgul didn't seem to be bothered by the disaster he made and caused, neither was he concerned about the elves and their reaction to all this or her obvious irritation. At first, the elves themselves weren't sure what was causing trouble around them, seeing they didn't see the wraith slip out the door. He wasn't using the door either but found a hidden tunnel just beneath the shack. From there on it was a piece of cake. He kept getting the tools for the traps from the inside of the small house. It seemed to be a nice source as well. He found everything he needed.

Hyano grumbled and gave him an annoyed look before allowing him to do as he pleased.

"Could you have at least left the shack half decent? I like to walk without tripping over a million items." She scolded, but eventually her own mischievous side caused her to smirk. "You really outdid yourself this time, though." She added, not able to help but give the wraith some credit for his work. She then turned and looked outside. "Oi! There are two istari here now! You all can go home now if you would like!" She called, finding that was more than enough reason for Ren's victims to go on home... or in some cases deep into the woods and get cleaned up. She probably should have warned the lot of them before leaving but... Well, this was just too good. She watched as the elves gladly left, all of them disappearing in different direction, a few of them still staying behind, just to be sure. They surely didn't want any more surprises, though.

All Ren did was shrug at her comment, not caring about all the mess at all. He simply sat down and started picking at the items, looking them over now closer, trying to find out what to do with them. He nodded when she complimented though, picking up a strange colored gem.

"They have good senses but I have thousands of years of experience. They didn't know what hit them until it was too late. Pathetic." He shook his head, almost in disappointment at how easy it was to trap the elves, however they eventually found out and surrounded the shack. But even then... the secret tunnel was still not discovered by them. Some long-ears they were...

Ragnarök made his way towards the shack as well. He didn't see the Nazgul walk in, so assumed she was alone, until he reached the door, where he stopped in his tracks, feeling the darkness in the air. His eyes slowly but surely found the... currently not so... frightening being sitting in the corner among some items. The brown wizard took his time to look around, grimacing but at the same time smiling at the mess that was made.

"I presume... Gandalf will have his hands full for a few... weeks..." He chuckled and raised an eyebrow at the modified interior, shaking his head as he looked down at the book that he still held, ready to be read at every moment he could spare.

"Yes, Ren has a habit of collecting anything he likes. I wouldn't let him near your staff if I were you. He's the reason I stopped using one altogether." Hyano admitted with a giggle. She debated on inviting him in but seeing as the shack looked like one couldn't walk two steps, let alone sit... she decided better of it. "How about we just sit outside? I can go on a manhunt for some food later." She said, shaking her head before taking up a seat outside the door.

Hearing this, Ragnarök instantly tightened his hold on his own staff and kept it close to his side, not wanting it stolen from him and also shut the book quickly to put it away into his robe. Although... he might have just doomed it all, since the noise of a book shutting attracted the invisible gaze of the wraith, who met his own.

They had a short staring contest before Ren looked away, sorting through the items again, starting to pack some of it into his cloak. Where it all went, was a mystery. He surely weighted a ton because of all that now.

The brown wizard agreed on what Hyano said and searched for a nice spot to sit at.

"Shouldn't we make our White happy and clean up the mess? I mean... he surely would not be pleased with all this." He shrugged, suggesting that they undo all what the Nazgul did in the shack. "On the other hand..." He continued and opened the book again, seeing the wraith was now occupied. "I think the little work would not do any bad for him. Besides, he knows what belongs where. And as things look right now... that Nazgul is guarding a pile of... treasure. Better not disturb it lest it attacks us."

Hyano snickered.

"He won't attack you so much as look at you strangely before taking the item back and tossing you out of the house anyway." She said with a smile. "Besides, even if you clean it up, he will just make a mess of it again anyway. He is just too curious for his own good and if you make the mistake of adding anything while you clean... he is sure to take that as well simply because it is new." She added, seemingly having gotten used to it. He pulled the same stunt on her house after all... Several times in fact.

"Does he talk?" Came the sudden question from the brown wizard as he started to find an interest in the creature they began to discuss. He was told about them, yes, but he never experienced one before in person. It was like a... living fossil of a previous world! "I was told they shriek and hiss and they might whisper some words but no one truly observed them while they spoke clearly. Then again... peaceful encounters were rare... They surely were not as talk-active when fighting..." He shrugged, before gazing at the shack when he spotted movement.

The wraith found his way out now and after a couple of moments spent locating Hyano, he started making his way towards them, although slowly and silently, before stopping all of a sudden, watching them, then slowly but surely stalked to the right towards the foliage, aiming to sneak up on the wizard holding the book from behind. Out of sight, out of mind. That was his logic.

Hyano noticed this but didn't say anything, letting it go. She had a good idea what he was up to.

"Yes. He does. His native tongue now is Black Speech, however at one point we were having basic conversations in the tongue of man. He would be set on fire fist before ever trying to learn elvish, though." She said, laughing lightly at the very thought. Ren speaking to the elves, let alone in their language? Not likely. "He actually talks quite a bit, sometimes ranting about various things. His favorite being humans. He can't figure them out despite having been one before." She added as she leaned back onto her hands.

Ragnarök chuckled.

"No wonder. Even we cannot understand them, let alone a creature without understanding of life and its properties." He said, trying to keep his gaze away from where the wraith went, only meeting Hyano's gaze briefly to confirm that he didn't mean any harm with this stunt and did not plan to become hostile. "When you met him..." He paused, thinking about the short story she told them at the meeting. "As a wraith I mean... Weren't you feeling that something might be wrong with him? Were you very careful or... just handled him as any other normal stranger? Surely gaining trust didn't come easily. Even if you didn't yet see his kind before, you surely felt the darkness within him..." He said, curious about her past with the Nazgul. For him it was very hard to imagine ever becoming friends with a creature made of pure darkness. It seemed... wrong. He wouldn't feel himself safe.

Hyano thought over the question for a moment before finally replying in the best way she knew how.

"Imagine, if a creature fell in front of you. Not a bird but something big, like a dragon or of that kind. More often than not your first thought is to run but... being a nature istar... a different thought tends to come up first. 'What is wrong and how can I make it better?' That is all I really thought about. Yes, I knew it was a dark creature I was looking at but... back then... and even now I guess... I believed that every creature had good in them, so I honestly didn't care. I just wanted to help him become better like I would any other creature." She replied. She didn't think Zhia could understand quite as well if she told him all this in detail. His grasp on facts was stronger than his grasp on emotions as it seemed. If he was anything like Saruman, then he likely saw them as a burden against better judgment which at times they could be. However, she was certain Ragnarök would get it.

"Dark creatures like Nazgul have nothing good in them." The brown wizard sighed, trying to make sense in all this. Although, he was sure she already noticed this. He could not quite imagine the creature doing a good deed or even talking respectfully. This did not mean he was not curious about it and did not see it as a potential new subject for a couple of research projects he was planning. It could provide valuable data. "Valar knows wha-..." He couldn't finish his sentence though, as in the next moment the book was snatched from his grip, making him gasp and look back but by the time he did, whatever got it was gone.

Ren quickly put some distance between them and sat down next to Hyano tightly as if wanting to be reassured by her support in this deed, before opening the book and started looking it over. He knew it was familiar!

"This is mine!" The Nazgul exclaimed with a hiss, pulling it closer to him as if to prevent the other istar to take it back, who just then noticed where the book went. His reaction was only a smile, though, and a shake of his head. He should have seen that coming.

Hyano snatched the book back from Ren.

"No, it's mine, you jerk! Last I checked, you can't even use anything in this book anyway! Besides, you are already heavy enough as it is!" She scolded him before setting the book to the side casually, then she got up and sat on the Wraith's lap in order to keep him in place, her arms crossing over her robed chest. "Ren, this is an istar. His name is Ragnarök." She introduced him, being polite more out of sake for Ren's own ego than anything. "And Ragnarök, this is Ren." She added, switching back to the language of man for that part before laying her head back against Ren's chest almost by second nature.

The brown istar watched the exchange rather confused. The two seemed to indeed know each other rather well, especially because the wraith seemed to tolerate the harsh words towards his person, seeing his only answer was a huff and a turn of his head in a silent pout and let her take the book from him without as much as fighting her or punishing her for it. If any of them did that, they would be on the Nazgul's hit list, he was sure of that. What he also found interesting was that she actually sat in his lap and this also was tolerated by him. He didn't make a move to remove her and didn't flinch away either, if anything, he even changed his posture just a little to give her more room.

"Interesting..." Ragnarök said as he watched them, stroking his still bare cheek. "Does he really let you do this? The scolding, the sitting, the taking of his property?" He asked, finding this highly... unusual and quite suspicious. This girl might be deeper into the darkness than one thought...

In the mean time Ren also tried to use the opportunity and her distraction to get back what is 'rightfully' his. The book. He slowly extended an armored hand and reached out for it.

"Yes." Hyano answered before noticing his hand. This made her twitch before she actually grabbed both his hands and put them on her lap, holding them in place. "We have been friends for a very long time. To be honest, he is only ever tried to hurt me a handful of times. When we first met he needed my help to get well again, so he allowed me, then I guess after that he felt no real need to hurt me." She explained to him before looking at Ren over her shoulder, then she flicked her hand the book being blown farther away, so it stayed out of his reach. "Ha!" She exclaimed with a grin. She looked like she was actually playing with the wraith at this point, the book becoming the object she was trying to keep away from him. They hadn't really played a good game in a while, so they might as well.

"I wonder why, though..." The brown wizard asked, raising an eyebrow at their antics. The two seemed to behave like close friends than anything else, playing around and teasing each other. For him it didn't seem like a servant-master relationship. They were friends. And according to what he was told and what he was 'born' with, creatures like this would be more primal than anything. Yet here he is, playing with an istar like a sentient being. He didn't seem to be a threat at the moment. Is this truly a Nazgul? On the other hand, he also tried to look at this on a 'wizard level' and explain it in his mind the best way he could. Hyano needed a friend at that time because she felt alone and needed someone at her side to have some company, while the wraith knew survival and tolerated her behavior and words because he viewed her as useful to him, saw the benefit in having her around. Both of them had their own goals with this 'friendship'.

Ren was just as stubborn as her, if not more so. Of course, he wasn't going to give up all too easily like this. And he already knew the weapon against her. The most effective... the most powerful... The true ultimate weapon. He waited for a few moments so she had her attention on her wizard friend before all of a sudden raising his hands from her lap, beginning to tickle her sides.

Hyano was about to reply when her eyes went huge. She tried to resist as best she could, gritting her teeth and gripping her fists but it was no good. Out of nowhere, she burst out laughing and gripped her sides, wiggling in his grip.

"No hahaha not fair! Hahaha! You damn..." She laughed, trying to both get away from his tickling while also not moving from his lap. This proved an impossible task. "Damn it all!" She yelled finally, jumping off of his lap but she wasn't up for more than a few seconds before she tackled him down in what would seem like to anyone else a rough manner but considering the wraith couldn't actually be hurt... it worked out just right for her.

While the wraith was not prepared for the move, he didn't let this distract him from the goal. He tried to push her down, rolling onto his side, then stomach, then started to turn towards the book and began crawling towards it, extending a hand to grasp it.

The brown istar could not do anything else but watch the almost serious looking wrestling. He didn't expect this at all. This was too much for one day... He knew how dangerous his kind is, yet here is Hyano, who is playing around with one as if he was her closest friend on the world. Well... maybe he was. This... scared the brown wizard slightly...

The young woman groaned as he basically flattened her under his weight.

"Heavy... bugger..." She gasped out before sitting up, allowing him to have the stupid book for now. She would get it back later if she really needed it, then noticed the look of the other istar and raised a brow. "What?" She asked, obviously confused. She was so used to her interactions with the wraith that she honestly didn't see anything wrong with them. She probably should but when something becomes habit it is just that. A habit. And half the time those with a bad one don't even notice it.

Ren didn't waste time but as soon as he reached the book he grasped it in a firm grip before sitting up, crossing his legs and started flipping through the pages.

"I see you understand each other rather well..." Ragnarök trailed off, moving his gaze to look at the wraith before returning to watch her. "This is highly strange and I must say... quite dangerous, especially after what we were talking about. Better start keeping some distance now and get used to it... Or else his future destruction will come as a sudden shock." He pointed out, understanding the strong bond they might share for their own reasons but he could not ignore what the Council was thinking. They saw their connection as not beneficial and it needed to be ended quickly.

Hyano sighed as she dusted herself off. She looked to him for a moment, then to Ren.

"Easy for someone to say when they are saying it from the outside looking in." She said more to herself than anyone, then sighed, brushing a hand through her hair mindful of the flowers that had only grown stronger since she got here. "Exactly what would you have me do then?" She inquired raising a brow at the man, although she meant 'you' as in the wizards, the Council. She had seen little worry from the brown wizard... Although he clearly was still not comfortable with Ren around. If they wanted her to make some distance, then they had better have something else for her to do. She had not been willingly separated from Ren... Well... ever. So, this would be rather weird for her.

"It might be simpler than one thinks." Ragnarök nodded, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts. "You are now a full wizard, which means your work is just beginning within this world. You will probably soon receive your tasks from the Valar themselves and will take on your duty as an istar. That will keep you busy, distracted and will set your priorities elsewhere than playing with the Nazgul." He explained. He was sure she didn't yet truly received any tasks and duties from above, seeing she was but an apprentice until today and didn't feel the tie of the wizards yet. But now that the wise White deemed her worthy to join the Order, the Valar might also listen and give her first task.

"How helpful..." Hyano said sarcastically before remembering something they talked about at the Council. She seemed to debate something over before turning her head towards Ren. "Hey Ren, we need your help." She called to catch his attention. "The humans have finally lost it and are destroying everything back on Middle-Earth. We would like to bring back some more people but we have to open a portal where the dark energy is at its weakest. Do you mind helping us out?" She questioned for the moment, putting her conversation with the brown istar on hold. This was just a little more important.

At first, the Ringwraith did as if he didn't even hear her, not liking the sound of this. Help? Huh? Sure... more like... become their servant now who they expect to do everything without saying any negative words. He knew it they will ask things of him but not this soon. This was even worse than what he imagined. Hmm... There was something though... maybe he could turn this to his advantage.

"What do I get in return?" He asked simply, not even looking at her but kept looking at the page, reading the text. He will not work for free. They could forget that. He was not a pet. However, if they offered something that would catch his attention... then they might talk about this.

Hyano thought for a moment. She had not quite thought ahead enough for that. She considered it for a moment, then smirked before remembering something. She pulled out Rosa's Ipod, remembering she had jacked it from the herder.

"This is more a request from me than anyone, so I guess I will be the one to give something up. I have a little something you might have fun with... That is if you are willing." She said, then walked over put the head set on where his ears should be and pressed play on it, making sure it was music she knew he wouldn't hate and had voices. She knew the fact it was doing this would catch his interest. Even if he didn't like the music itself he would want to know how it worked...

The brown wizard watched the interaction with confusion and a little interest. While he caught what she was trying to do, he was not sure if the wraith would be so extremely easy to sway. He knew them as cunning, wanting an overpay surely.

Ren looked up from the book when something was placed on his head and tilted it to the side, now tuning his hooded head to look at her, noticing the wire. He started focusing on it strongly, following its direction, which led to Hyano's hand, where she held some kind of small device. He didn't know what it was for... until he heard a sudden noise. He almost jumped up in surprise, then looked around, only after a few seconds did he realize that whatever was doing this was on his head. He reached up to grasp it.

"What is it?" He asked, unsure what to think of this thing. It looked... strange... Interesting... But...

"Remember the moving device we rode in and how it could play music? This is a smaller version of what made that. Playing music of different kinds. It holds the voices of music of many different people and places..." She explained with a grin, knowing she had his attention, then snatched both the item and headset back. "But if you don't want it... I guess I can just give it to Gandalf." She said casually as she started to walk away like she was going to go find the White wizard.

Oh... Ren remembered that one. How fast it went and how strange it was to be shielded from the wind like that and moving fast at the same time. Yes... The music was good. But only a few kinds of them. There were some that sounded like sick and dying half-wraiths attempting to shriek at the same time. Many of them. That was rather uncomfortable. But there were some that were decent. This also made him remember the time when Hyano would bring him into that room in their tower, where she would play on an instrument. P... Po... Pu... No... Piano. Yes. That was its name. He was surprised he even remembered that... And actually the device confused him and instantly caught his attention like anything new did in the modern Middle-Earth.

"What?" The wraith asked and watched as she took back the thing. "Why?" He asked, confused and almost shocked at her behavior. So she would go ahead and give it to the White wizard? Some mate she was... "He doesn't need it." He claimed, trying to make an excuse quickly and stop her, finding himself content in just sitting. He was... let's say, too lazy to stand at the moment.

"I am just teasing, Ren." Hyano laughed. "Like I would give Gandalf something meant for you. That is if you are willing to help me. It is nothing hard or anything, you just stand in front of a portal opening and tell us if the dark energy is there or not. Easy as pie, then you are free to do as you please with the rest of your day." She said as she walked back to him with a smile, having fun messing with him. Despite what the wizards had said... it was hard to burst out of her habit of playing and teasing the wraith. She had been doing it for years.

The Ringwraith stared at her long and hard as if wanting to determine if she will keep to her word or not. He never trusted anyone to give him something in return for his deeds after he was done. Anything can happen... They might die, they might lose that thing or simply decide that they want to die so refuse to pay him. So, not saying a word, the wraith reached out towards her, wanting her to give him the device first before he even said anything. He wasn't a fool but expected payment first before he does the job. If she was lucky enough that he will do it. He might be... too lazy.

Hyano was not that nice. She unplugged the headset and handed it to him.

"This stays with me until we're done." She said simply. She knew better than to just give over what he wanted, then he could easily back out if he so chose and he could be a rather big child when he wanted to be, so she would not be surprised if he actually did decide to back out. "Deal?" She asked, raising a brow and waiting for his answer.

The wraith instinctively curled his metal-covered fingers around the item that was given to him and pulled it closer to look at it. It was the part that was put on his head... He tilted his hooded head to the side and looked at it closer, flipping it in his hand before looking up at her and reaching it out towards the wizard.

"I want the other one." He demanded, finding the device itself far more interesting than this simple thing. He could at least tinker with that one. But what will he do with this? Nothing...

Hyano thought this over for a moment, considering to tell the wraith to forget it but then she got a better idea.

"Alright. You can have this as well... If you swear on the Dark Lord himself that you will do it." She said with a smirk. She knew rather well, even though the Dark Lord was nowhere to be seen and hopefully never would be, that Ren would take such a promise just a seriously because of this fact. His almost insane loyalty would push him not to dishonor his Lord's name by not keeping his word. That was the basic idea anyway.

Ren stared at her. He didn't say a word just watched her. Whatever was going through his mind was a mystery. Or if anything was even thought over or if he just went blank. Swear on the Dark Lord? Now this made the situation far more serious. The task seemed to be easy enough... The prize... he didn't yet know if it was worth the effort, though. He hissed and looked at the headset, then averted his invisible gaze to the device in her hand. After a short debate he finally started to nod, not wanting to say it. But at least he agreed. He didn't want to say it... lest his Lord could hear what he just swore upon... His honor in exchange of a petty task given by the wizards and a music-making device...

Hyano gave him a pleased smile before giving him the device, then turned to the other wizard.

"He will help us. Don't push your luck by being rude, though." She said, putting her hands in her pockets. The wrong attitude towards Ren could very well ruin it for them if they showed the same kind of disrespect they did on a regular. She didn't want him to act the way she did or anything but things such as calling Ren 'it' and so on were the type of things that could very well anger the wraith.

"You do not need to tell me twice." Ragnarök spoke up, crossing his arms, having witnessed the interaction between the wraith and the wizard. "I cannot help but point out that as far as I know, wraiths aren't known to politely ask you if they can kill you or chase you around either." He pointed out, then turned his brown gaze towards the book that was by now discarded by Ren in favor of the device he just got.

The Nazgul quickly snatched the Ipod from her hand as soon as it came close and turned his back to all the people around him, being extremely protective of his new toy. He fiddled with it for a little while until he remembered that the headset part was plugged into the device itself to make the music work. However, even then it didn't work... Hmm... He tilted his hooded head to the side and poked it with his finger before remembering the buttons. Usually in the modern world everything started working when one pressed a button or a series of buttons. Many of these seemed to be familiar. The remote he used for the black box for example had similar ones. Fiddling a little longer, the wraith eventually got it working, the screen went on after some furious pressing and the music started playing. Rock. Instantly he regretted his actions and hissed furiously at the dying wraith sound, quickly pressing the button for switching a few times as it that will make it go away sooner. After a few more pushes, he came to something that actually sounded alright for his senses.

"And?" Hyano asked, raising a brow. "Last time I checked, you don't ask before you kill someone period, no matter who you are, so that point is just silly. And wraiths only chase what is of interest and right now that isn't us and I would like to keep it that way. The wraith may not be human anymore but they still hold some of the same values. If nothing else, respect is very important, more so than when they were human. If you cannot respect and show loyalty to those you work with, then you are no good in battle." She said, her training in Moria having taught her that. The orcs were a prime example of this belief. They did not kill each other without thinking, only those that were useless or did not follow rules and even then they were turned into food.

"The problem is that the wraiths rarely do anything else than kill. Once this one sees the opportunity, it might also answer its inner call." Ragnarök pointed out, trying to look at this issue from different angles. Gathering information about both and wraith and her was his priority, either to prove Zhia right or wrong. He hated this tension between them all, so he might as well poke around where he could and while he could "Alright, then another example. It took the book without asking, snatched it right away from me without as much as asking. You call this respect? I didn't even say anything to it, did anything against it and here we are. If it is all about respect, as you put it, then why does it not show any?" He asked, tilting his head a little, raising his eyebrows in expectation.

"Because he recognized the book as being his." The orange wizard said simply with a shrug. "Ren is an extreme hoarder. Anything that catches his eye he keeps it. He has no actual body and he weighs a bloody ton and a half because of all the items he keeps in that cloak of his. I couldn't even tell you where he keeps it all. I also never said he had manners. He respects those that respect him. Also, they rarely do anything besides kill? Seriously? Don't get me wrong, Ren is a killing machine but he does do other things. It's just the only thing that anyone cares about is their killings, so it is no surprise that is all anyone knows about. Whenever anyone has seen a wraith they are usually under orders from Sauron. Of course they will do nothing besides that. It is in their programming. What? Do you think they just sit in a corner waiting on the next order? Please. Ren is far too hyperactive for that. He would go nuts if that was all he was allowed to do." She argued with a shrug.

"Manners and respect go along each other. If it doesn't have manners and doesn't respect anyone, then how does it expect any in return? I would think about that." The brown wizard pointed out once more and sighed, shaking his head. "Look what it did with the elves? They didn't disrespect it either... Yet look what happened. I wouldn't call that respect. It didn't even want to do a single favor just because it would help the people. No, it instantly cared about how it would be of its benefit."

"... It is more because he does not wish to be used... That is what he believes is going to happen and I knew that is how he would feel about the request. You are right, he did want something out of it but I don't know many people who aren't the same way. Even when you are doing something selflessly you are still doing it for that feeling you get when you help someone else." She said, crossing her arms.

"He shows no respect but expects it without question." Ragnarök paused, making sure to keep eye contact. "Tell me the last time he showed respect towards you. Not just a slight one but the one he is expecting from you." He suspected she won't be able to name one occasion, which will only prove his theory which he began to form in his mind. From what he gathered, the two knew each other well. Gandalf told them about her connection to the human version of this wraith. So what if Ren knew she valued him because of that and uses it to keep her on a leash? "All I am saying is that everyone noticed your own strange and unique way of speaking to people. To the wizards of the Order. Now I see you must have learned it from the wraith. He shows no respect either and expects it for nothing, which you are doing a lot yourself." He explained, trying to be as gentle with this as possible. He did not wish to hurt her but he thought he came to the end of his investigations. Now all he needed were confirmations.

Hyano was caught off guard. What in the world? She knew she was confident and was used to joking around with Gandalf, hence why she did not expect such stuck-up people in the Council... or had that changed as well? Istari, of course, weren't rough but that did not stop them from teasing and hitting each other from time to time. The majority of them were men for crying out loud!

"I think I should bring these herbs to the herder family soon." Hyano said, deciding to change the subject. She was not in the mood to go around explaining to this wizard too. Maybe Gandalf will be kind enough to do it for her but somehow she knew she will have to do it on her own. She was a member of the Order now, after all. "The shack also needs to be basically rebuilt from ground up, so I should get started on that too. Maybe we will talk later?" She asked, unsure how to put this. Yes, she was sending him away but unlike with Zhia, she was at least trying to not tell him outright. Ragnarök seemed to be more of an understanding wizard. This did not make his curiosity about her connection with Ren less uncomfortable, though.

The brown wizard seemed to understand it just fine and after a silent nod and a small smile, he turned around and walked away towards the direction they came from. No doubt he will be fleshing out all they talked about in the near future.

Hyano sighed shaking her head once he was gone she rubbed the back of her head. For the love of everything dead and alive istari could be very much high strung, remembering the time at the Council and the jabs of the brow wizard. Bloody Void. She shook her head then turned and went inside to clean up. She found thanks to this, Gandalf would likely be coming home sooner than he planned which would put him in bad mood and having the place look like the Void broke out would likely not help at all.

* * *

 **We hope you enjoyed this new chapter!**

 **Wow, Hyano will have lots of cleaning up to do. But we are sure she will be done in two weeks. Right?**

 _CA Productions_


	14. Disease

**We are deeply sorry for taking this long. We should have updated a couple of days ago but sadly, real life is being too hectic. But we will never forget about updating.**

 **There might be still times when we might slip a bit with update times, so do not be surprised!**

 **But we will never quit!**

 **Now, let us enjoy the chapter!**

CA Productions

* * *

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

* * *

Chapter 14 - Disease

As Hyano predicted, the White wizard actually neared the shack an hour after she parted ways with the brown wizard. He was mumbling to himself, his staff helping his steps as he walked, his long white beard blown a little by the wind. His blue eyes scanned the ground for a long time before deciding to look up when he came closer to his temporary home. He heard what happened with the elves and explained to them how the wraith could have pulled that stunt but decided to let this slide. Zhia's argument after the Council's meeting however was harsh... And in some points actually valid. In this case, no matter how he didn't want to but had to reconsider her current standing within the Order. He however wanted to hear her version, not judging just yet. He didn't demote her, neither did he give Zhia right. Just listened to him and now wanted to find the orange wizard to hear her side of the story. He wasn't mad, he wasn't disappointed. No. Simply was troubled is all. He walked up to the shack slowly and raised his staff slightly to knock on the wooden door. Perhaps she was here... Where else would she go to rest?

He obviously forgot how much she loved sleeping outside.

Hyano might not have noticed him if he hadn't knocked. She opened her eyes, then leaned forward and looked down. She was sitting on the roof but hadn't fallen asleep yet. She was just relaxing, smoking from a cigarette she had made from some of her spare tobacco and some paper. Crude but it did what she wanted. She took a drag, then blew it down, allowing the smoke to swoosh down and blow around the wizard before sucking it back up and blowing it again out of her nose.

"You know even for an istar it is still a little odd to be knocking on your own door." She teased with a smile. She hadn't been able to use such spells in a long time. It was a waste of magic back in Middle-Earth. "Ren fell asleep not long after Ragnarök left. I found it would be nice to sleep outside for a change. Sleeping in a hole for the past two weeks really hasn't done much for me." She admitted with a giggle before jumping down using a little magic to keep her landing light.

Gandalf raised an eyebrow when the smoke traveled around him, then followed its direction to see the young looking wizard gaze down upon him. He couldn't help a chuckle at her comment.

"It isn't only my home anymore. It is yours too. Basic politeness." He told her and watched as she landed not far from him, then turned towards her, gesturing towards the forest with his staff. "Let us take a walk on this fine day. The wind is light, the sun is shining and the clouds are scarce. This is a quite rare sight." He admitted, before starting to walk. He didn't want to jump right to the point. It wasn't his way. He also wanted to enjoy his day. The sun, the chirping of birds, the peace... He was an istar... of course he sought such places. Though, he found it odd that she said the wraith was sleeping. Since when do Nazgul sleep?

Hyano smiled and nodded, allowing him to lead the way. She could see the question in his eyes and thought she might as well answer.

"It is an effect of the change in him. I have a theory. I don't think the wraith ever stopped needing sleep. I think the ring just prevented it which contributed to their insanity, made the kings more rash and angry. I think this is one of the ways the Dark Lord mentally kept the kings under his thumb. You can't exactly rebel if you can't think straight." She explained. Ren had started thinking very clearly now. She had a feeling part of it was because his mind was able to rest. While the ring did force loyalty onto him, she had a feeling part of the way it did that was the irrationality it caused due to various different factors. While the ring did keep the wraith from physically needing the rest, it probably kept the mental need for this reason.

Gandalf hummed at her rather interesting theory. Though, lack of sleep would do even more than just insanity... It would straight out kill anyone from the inside. He was sure that the Nazgul wouldn't be an exception from that. However, having already heard that they do sometimes sit down and meditate, that might bring some relief and keep them alive for the time being.

"They do sleep in their own way, Hyano." He started, walking slowly, taking his time, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, letting nature seep into his every being. This place was truly a haven for every istari. "Meditation is a type of mental rest and a type of sleep. The difference is the concentration and the awareness. But otherwise it has the same effect. Complete lack of sleep would cause more than just insanity." He pointed out, thinking with this train of thoughts he might as well bring up some of the problems he saw with the creature. "And how is he faring so far in our new world? I heard he is... quite the bundle of energy." He chuckled, remembering the words of the elves and all that the wraith did to them. To him it sounded like a payback towards their kind for all that they did to his brethren.

The orange wizard shrugged. It was only a theory, after all. She raised a brow at his question before snickering.

"Yes. He is. He loves to pull pranks on anyone who isn't really suspecting it. It can get pretty bad sometimes." She admitted. "Since I used to sleep like a rock at night he used to place me in odd places while I slept. Under the bed, on a shelf, he even wrapped me up in a blanket so tight I couldn't get out until I used a spell to rip the thing open. I think he might enjoy it a little too much but it is fun to watch to be honest." She replied with a smile as she walked. She was sure under different circumstances Gandalf and Ren might actually get along. They both liked to mess with people, though, Gandalf was more mental and Ren was more physical.

"Maybe he enjoys this indeed too much..." Gandalf started, humming at his thoughts and what was said to him. The wraith was causing too much trouble and he was finding joy in this. This might be at least some relief that he at least did not kill anyone but doing such little pranks that actually escalate like the one with the elves... will cause others to keep away from him and make him feel not all that welcome. "While messing with people can be fun, I advise that you... try to explain to him when it is too much. When enough is enough. One has to realize the situation when pranks are appropriate and when they are only offending or cause great despair. Guards are never to be messed with but need to be respected." He explained and took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "The wraith also needs to learn manners and to behave if we truly want him to fit in. If he only causes trouble, people will never enjoy his company. If he truly wishes us to fit in... then I would like to see some kind of... effort from his part."

"Sadly that will be hard. Both are personality traits he kept from when he was human. He was just this bad before if not worse. The only difference now really is that he has fewer resources to play with. As for respect... besides the book stunt with Ragnarök he really hasn't tried talking or interacting with anyone besides me. Mostly because he can't understand anyone. The only reason he took the book from the brown wizard was because he believed it to be his. He has a hoarder's mentality. A bit of an issue... By the way I cleaned the shack twice and it still looks like the Void blew through it." She said the last part with a sheepish smile.

"Then it is time to change this." The White wizard told her, turning his head towards her briefly, meeting her gaze. "He cannot walk around and take things that aren't his. I am sure there are items missing from the shack as well... He has to learn to control this and learn some manners." He nodded, finding it must be possible to teach some sense into him and see how much effort he wants to put into trying to fit in. "Teach him some courtesy, politeness and to respect other's property. There is no such thing as impossible, this is taught to us from the very beginning. All it takes is effort to achieve it. If he doesn't wish to at least show some effort, then he cannot fit in... In this case indeed not many will view him welcome." He explained and shook his head, already able to picture him walking around in the street and people would quickly start going defensive around their properties." Or he won't even be welcome in the city itself."

"No offense, Gandalf, but at the rate things are going I don't know if we will even get that far." Hyano said, honestly. She knew part of why they were talking about this, so she found she might as well jump in to it. "The council does not want him to continue living, even if he does make a complete change. They have made that clear as day. Zhia specifically is against it and the opening of the portal... While I can do what I can to try and influence Ren... I am only one person and my pull with him only goes so far. If he sees nothing but threats around him, then there isn't going to be much change at all because he will never be able to relax." She explained, taking another drag of her cigarette.

The White wizard hummed at her comment and stayed silent for a few seconds, once again letting the sounds and the feeling of nature's closeness engulf his being, before replying.

"They are protective of this world, Hyano." He started, turning his head to look at her, meeting her green gaze with his blue one. "They are protective because they see him as a threat, for reasons you can see yourself. He doesn't exactly behave like someone who wants to fit in, neither does he seem to respect any laws connected to this world... He made a quite bad first impression..." He noted, nodding to this. He didn't yet look at his shack and he dreaded the moment when he would have to... He wondered briefly what he was missing from there. "If he showed effort... If he showed the desire to change... If he proved us that he is indeed no threat... They might change their mind." He pointed out and stopped next to the river which they approached, the clear water showing them all the fish that were happily swimming around among the water plants. "They simply need to start viewing him as something else than a dark wraith. But for this... He needs to contribute a lot. Change a lot... Do a lot. And you could convince him to prove himself... Then they might see him as you do and not the way he shows himself to be at the moment."

"Maybe... I will do what I can." The orange wizard said calmly, then sighed. "So, tell me... what exactly did Ragnarök tell you anyway? I'm curious." She inquired as she blew out some smoke and then let her gaze travel the world around her. She knew Ragnarök had spoken with him and was rather curious as to what all he had said and if anything was left out.

Gandalf nodded, having wondered when she will finally bring this up. He was waiting for the question for a while now. He wasn't planning to hide anything, neither did he want to make all the comments pretty with describing them differently.

"Well, he complained about your wraith, his lack of manners and the... destruction he caused in the shack and told me in detail what he found at the area when you returned. I must say the wraith knows how to prank." Gandalf chuckled, unable to help himself. Despite the situation, he was actually laughing when the brown wizard told him about it. Sneaky wraith is sneaky and very cunning when he wanted to be, one must give that to him. "However, as I said, we will have to work on that. I could help if he understood our language but right now righting his behavior will fall on your shoulder until the time comes when I can have a conversation with him." He nodded, shaking off the amusement he showed not a moment ago, knowing this situation was not truly funny for the elves and the guards. "He also told me about your... views and your lack of manners." He raised an eyebrow and looked at her expectantly, clearly wishing for an explanation.

Hyano sighed.

"I told him my thoughts on the wraith however he kept getting more and more worried. At one point I worried that he would attract Ren's attention. He was basically saying Ren needed to be killed according to the Order. I was worried Ren might catch what Ragnarök was saying and there would be a fight. So I wanted to hit him upside the head." She explained with a sigh and shook her head. "I thought working with Asteri he would be used to such a thing. That wizard hits people all the time. Or has that changed too?"

"Asteri..." Gandalf trailed off with a sigh, turning to walk, following the stream of the river on the shore. "He changed a lot... After his... dealing with his student, he was sent here to recover and take his mind off of it by the tasks. It did break him, as I am sure you could see it... Many of his habits changed. He became more silent... but is on his way to his old self. If not completely, then to something similar." He tried reassuring her, before going back to the topic at hand. "I see no reason for the wraith to attack because of such talk. This is something he surely expected when he made the decision to come here. He surely didn't expect people to welcome him with open arms, not after what his kind did on Middle-Earth..." He explained, pausing to stop again and face her with a thoughtful expression. "Their views will stay like this until your wraith doesn't wish to change his behavior and manners. Once he shows the desire to aid and fit in, their minds might be changed. But this is something only time will tell." He hummed, nodding to himself, unsure how this will end... "And... Ragnarök's opinion was the way it was because this was a rather... serious subject, where such... humor and playful knocks over the head are inappropriate. You will have to also learn about these situations. Not to mention your behavior on the meeting made me receive multiple complaints. You will have to learn when it is appropriate to speak to people like friends and when to keep everything official. I will handle this, though." He explained, deciding to scold her for the very trait Zhia was complaining about. Her manners. He will have to take that upon himself, however. "Your position in the Order doesn't change." The wizard reassured her with a smile after a small pause once he saw her expression.

Hyano sighed and nodded slowly, acknowledging his small scolding and thought this matter over for a moment.

"Thanks... To be honest, I wasn't sure how that would go. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to be in the Order and all but..." She looked away, feeling a little bad for what she was about to say. "I have been on my own for quite some time now. It feels... kind of strange to be a part of a group again. Even when I was a child I was never really in the group. I spent most of the meetings under the table, taking naps and getting yelled at by Saruman for wasting everyone's time. It will take some getting used to, I guess." She said with a sigh. "... Does Ragnarök know I'm a born istar, not a made one like the rest of you?" She asked, wondering how much of her history was known in this world.

Gandalf chuckled, shaking his head at her worry, finding it irrelevant.

"That you are part of the Order, doesn't mean you will work in a group. You simply have more responsibility and are now a part of the creation process of this world. The Valar will give you tasks which you have to complete and serve their will. If it is with another istar at your side or alone, that doesn't matter. Mostly you will work alone. That time on Middle-Earth you could say serves as training. We, istari, rarely meet one another and rarely work as a team. We all have our own tasks." He explained thoroughly, showing her that her worry had no reason to bother her. "Being in the Order also means you may always return and seek out one of the wizards to aid you in anything you need. However, now as a fully fledged member, unlike when you were apprentice... your failures are your full responsibility and I or any other istari cannot take the blame any longer... We don't protect you anymore than we do each other." He added, making sure to note this as well before raising an eyebrow at her question and gave a sigh, then shook his head. "No. We usually don't share stories of our creation. What is important is that we are there and do our tasks. Guard, tend to the world's wounds, then leave it for a new one once it suits the needs of our creators. Because even if you were born... you were still created in the will of the Valar. You are just as a creation as we are. This doesn't change your status."

Hyano nodded, glad she did not have to deal with that among all the other things Zhia had against her. She thought over what the Valar might want of her and a soft smile played at her lips.

"I think I am meant to create life. I haven't been here long but I have noticed a lack in diversity in the life around here. I would like to help fix that. I can already see creatures in my head that would do wonderful things for this world. I'm kind of excited to start." She admitted with a grin.

Gandalf frowned at this, looking down at the ground in deep thought.

"Creating life is solely the task and ability of the Valar or more accurately... Eru Illuvatar is responsible for that. They send the creatures to the one who is supposed to take care of them... And it is rare that they point out two istari for the same task... Our brown wizard is the caretaker of the flora and fauna of this world." He explained to her, looking at her with the same frown. "Are you sure this is what they want you to do? How do you know?" He asked, unsure whether to believe her or not. She never received any tasks from the gods, so she might not know if what she thought was her task was actually just her own wish and desire...

Hyano looked to him, then shrugged.

"Maybe. Maybe not. It's what I believe I am meant to do. I've found I am actually good at it but I think if it isn't, I will be pushed in the right direction anyway, so it hardly matters." She replied, not seeming worried about, mostly because she had other things on her mind as well. She knew what she was meant to do... she just didn't want to do it yet. She blew out some smoke. "Thanks for the surprise by the way... I had not expected there to be a new brown... Let alone one who is so much like... well." She laughed lightly, thinking of how much Ragnarök really was like Radagast. She had seen him look around the plants, pet animals and listen to the birds singing while he walked around at the times she saw him after the Council. He sounded cheerful and talked to the animals like they understood him. And in a way they did. That was his job, after all. The only thing missing were the mushrooms. It had been a pleasant surprise and she had a feeling that is how Gandalf meant it to be.

"There is no Order without a cheerful and obsessed brown wizard." Gandalf smiled, then chuckled, caressing the bark of the tree a little more before pulling away and resuming their walk. "But then again, it was the Valar who sent him, so you will have to thank them. They are indeed alike, which means they are meant to behave the way they do. Many thought that your mentor abandoned his own duty as istar and used his powers for the flora and fauna in Middle-Earth. But of course some of us knew better. He did what the Valar told him to. What he was meant to do. To cherish the plants and animals more than his own life. He succeeded and now is resting in the Undying Land. A well deserved peace... Which might not last as long... I am not sure what their plans are with him." It was a known fact that some do come back from Valinor... And Radagast was the only istar so far to reside there. Saruman was not allowed entry after his death, however.

Hyano laughed lightly.

"To be honest, I thought it was expected of me to become the next brown. I am kind of glad to see otherwise. No offense but brown is not my color of choice." She said honestly as she walked beside him, her smile only growing. "I used to think he probably came back as an animal. A rabbit, really. I used to look at the new born bunnies when I was little and wonder which one was my mentor. Rabbits were his favorite but he would never say so out loud in fear he might offend one of the many creatures that inhabited the shack." She giggled at the memory. Childish as it was, it had been a thought.

"Oh yes. I will never forget that rabbit sled of his. Reincarnation in an animal is a great possibility but the Valar saw the destruction on Middle-Earth, so if he did or still is to be reborn, then it will be here. But then again... They might have other plans for him as he succeeded and stood loyal to his duties." Gandalf pointed out, then turned his head towards her, remembering her first sentence. "You were born an orange wizard. Normally, all wizards retain their colors... That until they do something that changes their tasks or are chosen to do so. Think of Saruman. He lost his white status, which in turn was given to me."

"... I think I will try to spend some time with Ragnarök tomorrow. He was saying I should try and spend a little less time with Ren, anyway, put some distance between us, I guess. I think it will be nice to be around a brown wizard again." Hyano said with a shrug, actually giving his suggestion a thought. At first, she did not really want to do this because she found it would be impossible to separate them with this but... why not have a little fun? A little wizard fun. Just to be a wizard again. if only just for a short time.

Gandalf hummed at her comment about the wraith and what Ragnarök advised she should do. He wasn't against the idea, of course. If anything, this might solve their problems in an easier manner. He knew what their brown wizard was up to with this comment and he didn't stand in his way but neither did he support him. It is up to them how this turns out.

"Indeed, get a little closer to your kin. You have been alone for too long and it is time you spend a little more time with us. It will do you more good than you might think." He smiled, then reached out and patted her shoulder gently.

The orange wizard giggled lightly and smiled. It was childish but she actually enjoyed being patted. The contact was quite nice, she guessed. She thought it all over for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright... while I enjoy our time together I need to get some rest. I haven't had a good night's sleep in a while and tomorrow is going to be active, I'm sure. First, I have to find the brown wizard then I need to keep up with him." She said with a light laugh. She stopped, though, when she noticed a movement in the shadows. She raised a brow before seeing Asteri's form and smiling. She gave a wave and the star wizard waved as well and turned his eyes to Gandalf. It was obvious he wanted to talk.

The White wizard was about to complain and pout, tell her to stay with him just a little longer, however as soon as his blue eyes met that of the other istar, he simply let her leave instead.

"Alright, then." He chuckled, letting go of her. "That will be a task that might need you at the best of your abilities. Good luck." He smiled, saying his goodbye, and watching her until her form vanished from his view before turning towards the other wizard, taking a few steps to approach him, using his staff to help his walk.

"Good evening, istar of the stars. The clear sky says we will have good weather and many of the stars will be showing tonight. Am I right?" He asked with a smile, despite the expression the istar was showing. This will be a serious conversation but one can try to lift the mood.

The star gazer gave him a smile and nodded.

"Yes. It looks like fine weather for the next few days at least, however I predict a harsh winter in this area. It is best you advise Hyano to reinforce the shack or maybe find another place to live." He said, keeping things light for only a moment before turning his eyes towards where the young wizard had gone. His form turned pale and his eyes darkened until they were black.

He was not the istar he used to be. He could hardly be called a wizard anymore.

While he was no dark creature, he was hardly what he used to be, though, only Gandalf knew of this. Thanks to his previous student, he was technically not a member of the living anymore. More of a shade of his former self. All thanks to his old student. The prince of a land in Eriador, who after long years of being his faithful student... has abandoned him once darkness touched his heart. And him? Being so foolish and still loving him like a son... he did not give up on him... Only to return as what he was today. However, he continued to do what he always did. Look to the stars. How, even he wasn't sure but he was not one to question such things.

"I suggest you take her memory again. Along with the wraith's, then separate them and turn her connection back on the spell she already has on her. That should handle everything. The wraith will end up reduced to dust within a matter of days." He said his voice very serious.

Yes. Once again the taking of her memory is brought up. Gandalf knew he will advise this and thought of this himself. It was an easy way. Easy and harmless. However... there was something... There was a nagging feeling that held his hand from doing so.

"I am... not sure, my friend." He sighed, moving closer to his kin, trying to share the light that he carried and warm the other as best as he could, provide support in these days. "There might be... more than meets the eye with these two..." He paused, also turning his head and gaze towards the direction the orange wizard went off to. "Think about it. Two times have I taken her memories of him, yet here we are... She broke through the block two times... Now she possesses both her memories..." He trailed off, reaching up to stroke his long white beard in deep thought with a frown. "Maybe... there must be something the Valar want yet they refuse to tell us... Maybe... it is up to them and not us. Maybe we have no say in the matter. Not this time. What do you think?" He asked, his voice going curious and raised an eyebrow, gazing at his friend expectantly, awaiting his own views. "Do you think there is more to this? Or is this just... pure coincidence and luck that guides her?"

Asteri looked at him, thinking over his words, allowing the other to provide what little warmth he could... He could not really feel it but the gesture was a welcome one all the same.

"I believe even she does not know. The wraith and herself are in the same kind of confusion. I am sure even he wonders why he is not gone like the others. All the kings vanished and yet he survives. If he had gone away within a few years I might think it only a fluke but... like Hyano's memory, he manages to come back again and again..." He replied calmly. "If Middle-Earth is no more and he continues to survive... then we can be sure that he lives without his creator's power... without anyone really holding him back anymore besides Hyano... and that might actually make him even more of a threat. While I do not ever want to see Sauron's influence again... he created that beast... and he is likely the only one that can keep it in line... I do not know what Valar could possibly want with those two... and to be honest I am afraid to find out." He added, meeting the others blue gaze with his own dark one. He may use the stars and skies to predict some oncoming events and the weather but he was no fortune teller.

"Perhaps... He isn't truly gone..." The White wizard concluded, continuing to stroke his beard in deep thought, his gaze wandering to the river. "Perhaps as long as this creature lives... he will be there. Maybe... he found shelter within him... Maybe... they are all not truly gone. We cannot know it. All we know is that we had no sight of them since Mount Doom erupted. Only the Valar know what happened and they can show us to our fate. But they confuse me..." He said, almost in desperation to find the truth and the need to have this question answered was great within his mind. "I cannot imagine him to live without dark magic, which is held by Morgoth's influence in the materials and by Sauron's presence... His curse... his enchantment and necromancy is the one keeping the curse itself intact. Without it, he would be gone... I cannot see him live on without the Dark Lord..."

Asteri looked at him for a moment before placing a cold hand on his shoulder.

"You always did over-think things, my friend. Even though Saruman used to complain you didn't think at all." He said, trying to calm the White wizard. "There are many risks here. More than Hyano or even the other wizards know... If all we are dealing with is Ren and he is only being kept alive by what is left of the darkness in the old world, then the moment Middle-Earth finally falls and is wiped clean... he will be as good as dead anyway... and Hyano will soon follow." He said, his voice still calm but serious all at once. There was a threat to Hyano's life and she didn't even know it. He doubted even Ren knew of this. "However if your theory holds weight... then it is better to leave them connected. For if Ren does hold more in him than just himself... then we will need some means of controlling him and thus far only Hyano has been able to do so. If I remember correctly, you said she described him as her 'mate' when you took her from Moria."

"Oh yes... indeed. His mate." Gandalf whispered, his gaze falling to Asteri, watching him, knowing that they might need to make the decision themselves... Without the guidance of the Valar. The problem was... How do they know the right choice? "But which is the case, Asteri? We cannot risk Hyano's life... But we cannot risk the purity of this just building world either... We must choose which theory we believe in... Truly weaken their connection... and let the wraith die... Which in turn might free the Dark Lord if he truly is there... Or leave the connection intact..." He set up the two choices. It was easier than the decision itself... They cannot make the right one without knowing more... Without finding out more about the Nazgul and its existence. "I fear that we must be careful... Hyano might be the one who could hold control... But to me it seems this control goes two ways." He whispered, giving a frown. "Just as much as she thinks she controls him, so holds he an equal one. She almost turned to a dark wizard when I got to Moria. Fighting alongside the orcs... Having spawned them herself... As much as it pains me to say this, my friend..." He trailed off, heaving a sigh, shaking his head in despair. "... we cannot trust her control..."

"And you are wise not to." Asteri said honestly, then reaching into his sleeve and pulled out the forgotten book. After Ren had lost interest in the item it had been almost forgotten... almost. "I took some time to read through this... I think it might be best to keep this away from Zhia. As the wizard of knowledge he yearns to gain more... but this is likely what destroyed Saruman in the first place. So he is better off without it. However that is not the only reason... Gandalf Hyano created a number of spells in this book. She apparently started working on creating new ways to create those... monsters. Out of different elements and so on... and by what I saw... she got very good at it. If she was to turn... it wouldn't take her long to find out how to create an army, even in a world this pure." He warned, holding the book before flipping it open. "And there is more... Apparently, this really was a journal. Saruman wrote about himself. His travels... Did you know he had a lover?" Asteri questioned. Honestly, he always thought the White wizard was too high and mighty to ever take someone. No one was ever good enough he, assumed. Besides... wizards were not to be interested in such primal feelings. And yet here he was...

"Aren't we too old for lovers?" Galdalf couldn't help but ask this with a chuckle, unable to hold it in. Saruman? A lover? Even with the age, who would have been so submissive and crazy enough to be with him? Or did he force them? No... The Valar would have not let him do so... Well, before he turned against his own nature and was pushed away by their gods for his dark deeds. The knowledge that this book contained was worrisome... He didn't read it himself but he always thought that casting these magics was impossible in a world that contained no dark magic, thus he didn't think much about it... But this news about the writing from Hyano... This was something to consider... "Indeed we must keep it well hidden. But... we shouldn't destroy this. Just in case things happen in the future that involve darkness..." They could use this book and its knowledge to counter anything dark... An istar however has trouble casting dark magic as it was...

Asteri could not help a light chuckle.

"That never stopped you, now did it?" He countered, then looked at the book again. "I will take some more time to read this over. I only had enough time to really skim through it and catch some details. I will tell you if I find anything of interest. Maybe something Hyano knows that might come in handy later." He said as he placed the book back into his sleeve. Like Ren, he had a knack for making objects disappear but unlike the wraith they did not weigh him down. They just moved somewhere else. "For now, we will wait... Based on what Hyano said about the... 'bombs' they will need more than one to destroy Middle-Earth. That gives us time. For now... I will keep an eye on them as needed..." He said to assure Gandalf that he was watching over the two. If only to be sure they wouldn't try anything. And to silence Zhia...

The White wizard nodded at him, understanding and acknowledging the fact that he took this task upon himself. He himself had simply too many duties at a time to truly watch them, and well... They surely knew what he was looking for, so they would hide things from him all too easily. However... they were not counting on Asteri.

"Thank you, old friend. But say..." He trailed off, taking on a more cheerful tone, trying to switch topics now and reached out to grasp the other's shoulder and pulled him along. "... Why don't we go and check on my shack? I heard it was trashed and might not... find... everything at my place but I am more than sure that I have some more pipes in there with your favorite flavor. How about a competition? Who blows the fastest horse." He chuckled, knowing that despite being not his old self, a good smoke can always bring anyone to their best mood.

Besides... it is time to forget the worries.

They need to relax too, even if for a moment.

* * *

Cane walked with Naril with a hand over his stomach. Today was a core day, which meant their guts felt like someone had punched them repeatedly. It also made them all hungry as the Void.

"I hope mom made a lot of food today." The herder boy said with a grin. His father wasn't far behind him, walking in silence.

The elf smiled at Cane, walking beside him as best as he could. In the past weeks he learned and trained a lot and thanks to this he could take the training better but still had trouble taking it easy or walk at a fast pace after. His whole body felt like it weighed a ton.

Cane raised a brow as he saw his mother at the door. Usually, she was still preparing their lunch, singing a happy and comforting song as she worked or was helping Lilly with something. But not today.

Holly smiled as she saw them and took a step away from the door, meeting the boys a bit further from the house.

"Naril, I am sorry but today it might be better off if you go home for dinner. Lilly has gotten sick and we would hate for you to get sick too." She said and held out a lunch box for the boy, not wanting to let him go hungry.

Naril's smile vanished.

"What?" He asked, his voice full with concern. Not because of the food but because of the little girl. "What's wrong with her? Will she be alright, is she very sick?" He asked, walking up to the mother, not even taking notice of the lunchbox. His mind was elsewhere. If she was sick... then he should be at her side, right?

The mother smiled at his concern and knelt so she was at eye level with him.

"Yes, she will be fine. It is a disease all children back home get at her age. The problem is that we do not know how badly it will be if you or any of the other elven children get it. And since the disease weakens the immune system, we would rather Lilly not catching any other disease on top of the one she already has. That is all. I'm sorry." She tried to assure the boy, not wanting him to worry but at the same time she wanted him to understand the situation. While at the moment it wasn't all that serious... it could become serious very easily if not taken care of properly.

The elven child blinked as she told him about the disease and it sounded rather serious. There were indeed many diseases running around among the elves as well, despite them being highly hygienic, one cannot stop sicknesses from spreading. He nodded when she told him he cannot be close to her but not because he could get the sickness but because he could end up giving her some. He didn't want her to be more sick! Thinking once, he quickly ran to the side along the wall and came up to the window in her room. Giving Lord a greeting nod -who sat close to the window, persistently waiting for the little girl to come out- he walked over to the window and knocked on it, waiting for the little girl to answer, so they can still talk and he can wish her well. He wanted to make sure that she was alright.

Lilly had fallen asleep thanks to not having much else to do. That was until she heard a tap at her window. She gave a cute yawn and walked over to it, rubbing her eyes. This it turn reminded her skin of the unbearable itching and she instantly shuddered as she did everything she could not to scratch. She looked out the closed window, then smiled when she saw her best friend.

"Naril? I didn't think I would get to see you for like... two weeks!" She said as if two weeks were forever. Excitedly, she pulled herself up onto her windowsill and crossed her legs. She was currently only wearing shorts and a tank top because materials of any kind on her skin drove it crazy.

The moment she came into his view, Naril could see those strange bumps on her skin. He blinked and opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. It looked... nasty. But the good side of this was that she actually -despite all this- looked alright and content. Which at least eased the mind of the boy.

"Are you kidding me?" He shouted, narrowing his eyes and crossing his arms as if he was offended by her words, although playfully. "As if I would leave you for two weeks. Not even for a day, miss." He exclaimed and chuckled, now leaning against the wall and crossing his arms on his side of the windowsill, putting his head on them, just to give some stretch to his stomach and some relief to his tired legs. "Aren't you bored in there? What did you do today?" He asked, tilting his head slightly in curiosity, trying to avert her attention from her state. He could tell she was suffering. If only a little.

Lilly's smile grew all the more but when he asked what she did all day, she groaned and sadly it wasn't even an exaggeration.

"I spent all day trying not to scratch these stupid things!" She complained, holding her arm out and pointing to the bumps on her skin. "They itch like you wouldn't believe and I cannot scratch them because it just makes it worse and if it I scratch too hard and they get cut it gets a LOT worse and if I cut it too badly they scar." She said all this in one breath, clearly upset about and tired of this disease. "It is horrible! I spent the majority of the day gripping my pillow so hard I think I tore it in several places." She said, looking towards her bed quite sure she was going to get in trouble for that later but at this point she could not care less. As if talking about it reminded her skin of the fact, she grabbed onto her legs and shivered, gritting her teeth to try and keep herself from scratching despite her body practically going crazy with the urge. It almost hurt it was so bad.

"Oh..." The elfling blinked, looking at the little strange bumps that looked like they would explode in any moment... And they were on her whole body as it seemed. "But... what if you don't scratch? I mean, just carefully run your finger over them? But not with the nails, just to relieve the itch?" He asked, remembering when he was stung by some kind of insect, his mother told him to not scratch it because it would start bleeding, she still told him he could relieve the itch in a different way. That was not truly scratching and it would not entirely make the itch go away but it could ease it. "Or the dragontongue? Making a mash of it would relieve any itch. Just need a little more than one flower..." He suggested, remembering the cream they would make of that for such use. "Flower, honey and milk, you mash it and bring it up your skin. That will help." He nodded, certain that this might solve her problem.

Lilly thought about this a moment, then used her palm to massage a bump on her arm. It provided a temporary relief... but the problem was they were all over and when one was relieved another would go crazy. She gritted her teeth as one on her back started. Not an easy place to get to. She tried to shake it off, though, and pay attention to what he was saying. "Dragon to... I can't really go get it for myself and I doubt my family would know what it looks like so they can't do it. Hyano said she would make me something but she won't be back until tomorrow." She said with a sigh before hugging her legs and rubbing the bumps there as well.

Naril tilted his head.

"Why? What is she doing so long?" He asked, unsure why would someone need so long to collect a flower and mix it with the ingredients. Or perhaps she had also other matters to attend to? But he didn't want to see his friend suffering like this! Not for that long! "I think we might have some at home... I can bring you some?" He asked, unsure if they actually still have some of it stashed away. He could swear he saw some in the basement... Might have been just honey though... "Or I could collect some and get my mother to make it for you. Or my father." He offered, pushing away from the window. He didn't like the look in her eyes... the silent suffering, as she wanted to hide it in vain. It hurt...

Lilly blinked at his offer and smiled a little. He was so nice to her. That's part of why he was her best friend after all. He could see what everyone else couldn't.

"If you don't mind... I mean... I know you're tired from training with dad today and it isn't like it's a short trip from here to your house." She said, not wanting him to wear himself out over her. That wasn't worth it. Ss bad as her itching was, if it was going to cause her friend trouble then she would rather not worry about it at all and just deal with it until tomorrow.

The boy chuckled and gave her a bright smile, reaching out to put his hand on the glass of her window.

"For my friend, anything. This is what friends are for, right? We stick together in good and bad." He tried reassuring her, before waving and pulling away, starting out towards his house, completely forgetting about the lunchbox.

Lilly put her hand where his had been and smiled. He really helped her calm down and relax. As bad as this was she knew she wasn't in it alone anymore. That helped a lot.

The moment the elfling was gone he was replaced by the elk at her window, which finally stood up and watched her, pushing his nose to the window and breathing out, causing steam to form on the glass for a moment. He wanted to feel their connection, get a caress or a reassurance that she was alright. He was maybe an animal but quite smart and sociable and knew something was wrong... She was his herd. A stag always protects his herd.

When the elk took his place, the little girl giggled and thought it over. Animals couldn't catch this, right? So it should be alright. She smiled, then got down from the windowsill just to open the window before jumping back up and hugging the large elk's muzzle.

"I'm sorry, Lord. I'm sick. That's why I can't play right now." She told him, not sure how much he could understand but thought he deserved an explanation anyway.

The elk gave a sound of joy as she pulled the window open and let her hug his muzzle. He perked his ears when she spoke, not understanding everything but still looked at her worried and confused, not sure why she was not coming out. He saw the spots on her skin but didn't think much of it at the moment. Instead, he pulled away a little, then reached down with his head and pulled the blanket they played with a few days ago into her view, holding out towards her to take.

Lilly smiled at him, then reached out to take the blanket. If he tried to play with her like they usually did, she would have to put a quick stop to it. Mommy wouldn't be happy if she went out to play while she was sick. But... well maybe she could play a little. That wouldn't be so bad, right? Besides, she would get so bored if she didn't do something other than sit in bed all day. She may not be able to play with Naril but maybe she could still play with elk. If only for a little bit.

Just as she expected, the elk didn't let go of the blanket of course but cast her a challenging glance, perking his ears, watching her carefully. This way he tried to convince her to play. Not because of him, he would be just content sitting around all day, seeing his age. No. He simply saw that something was wrong and tried to cheer her up. What other way could he achieve that than with a little game? He pulled on the blanket slightly, tilting his head a little.

Lilly let go of the blanket just to jump out the window anyway. She grinned, then took off after him, eager to play. She hadn't gotten to do anything all day and despite everything... she was still a very active child. She was sure as long as they weren't too loud her mother wouldn't notice and she would only play for a little while. Anything was better than sitting around with nothing to think about besides the insane itching.

* * *

It took a little while, seeing they indeed lacked the mash but Naril was walking down the path towards Lilly's home with a nice sized bowl in his hands, filled with the material that should help her itching. He smiled as he thought about how good it will do to the little girl and how happy she will be once her suffering was gone. His thoughts however stopped when he saw Lord curled up next to a tree with someone lying against him.

He frowned.

At first, he thought that Rosa might have come home earlier, however she surely was taller. He hummed at this before deciding to check it out. He walked up to the two and blinked when he spotted Lilly next to the elk, seemingly asleep. At first, it all didn't register but as soon as it did, the boy gasped and backed away. It wasn't that he was afraid from the disease she was carrying at the moment but that he could end up accidentally giving her some kind of sickness to it. Instantly he found himself at the door and knocked on it. Best was to speak to her mother about this.

The mother blinked in surprise, seeing she was not used to getting visitors that late before answering the door.

"Naril? Hey sweety. I thought you went home a long time ago?" She asked, a little confused and this was only added by the bowl in his arms. What was that? It looked... odd but the smell caught her attention.

The elf boy looked at her, his eyes gazing at hers the moment she opened the door, showing her his worry.

"Lilly is outside." He quickly said, hurry trembling in his voice and pointed towards the side where Lilly's window was, not far from there the two were lying, asleep. He was afraid that she might catch something and end up worse than this. Itch was easy to cure... but everything else needed more attention.

The mother looked worried for a moment before giving the boy a smile.

"Thank you, Naril. Chicken pox does not stop one from having a lot of energy. She probably was just eager to play." She said then put a hand on his head. "Calm down. Lilly would hate to know you are worrying this much about her. She doesn't like to make others worry, alright?" She said, trying to relax the boy if only a little before walking around him and heading over to her.

Holly looked at Lord, crossing her arms.

"Lord... no. Until these go away she stays inside, alright?" She said, pointing to the bumps on her daughter's arm and then inside. This was not a question but a statement. She did not want to find Lilly outside again. She knew the old elk had something to do with it. He had been at her window all day long with that blanket.

Lord gave out an almost whining sound when the mother scolded him. He couldn't understand much but he was sure she wanted Lilly to go back in. Trying to show the mother that the little girl was fine with him and he took care of her, he pulled the blanket into view and draped it on the little girl, then looked at the mother, tilting his head slightly as if asking if this was enough. He could protect her here outside just fine. He could see the desire to play in her eyes and couldn't deny it. She was his herd...

The mother looked at him a little annoyed before taking notice of Lilly. Lilly was asleep yes... but her breathing wasn't regular. She knelt down, making sure she still was breathing. Every now and again she would stop for a little, then keep going.

This was not part of the disease and she knew that...

It was a physical trait she thought they left back in Middle-Earth. Apparently not. She looked at Lord, then scooped up the little girl, jarring her awake a little but she soon fell asleep again on her mother's shoulder. "Lord, come on. You can sleep beside Lilly's bed if you would like." She said trying not to show as much worry as she had.

Lord tilted his head to the side and watched the mother. Try as she might, one cannot hide emotions before an animal who communicates with them without words. He perked his ears once she told him he can go into the house, he couldn't help but watch her confused. He was never allowed inside before... Only saw what he could from the window itself but that was it. He would always wait at the door for Lilly or -like right now- sit below her window and wait. After a moment, he eventually stood up and grasped the blanket between his teeth and slowly started following them, his brown eyes gazing up at the sleeping little girl.

Naril in the mean time already went inside and put the bowl down, then sat at the table, waiting for the mother to come back with Lilly. He didn't want to be in the way or accidentally give her some kind of elven disease... Who knows what he was carrying that could harm her...

The mother smiled at the little boy then put the little one in her bed. She left the door open along with the front door so the elk could go outside if he needed. While she knew Will would not like this... she thought they were safe enough in this new world that she could allow it.

The elk followed the two right to the front door and was about to enter after them but was met with a problem... He realized when he bumped against the door, that he... well... cannot truly enter. He made a sound of annoyance when he noticed that his antlers were too big and wide to pass through the door. He looked at the doorframe, then pulled his ears back, trying to pass through again but that wooden thing was persistent. Blinking, the elk sniffed the wooden part of the doorframe, then got an idea. He stepped back once, then tilted his head, so his antlers were sideways, then tried entering again.

 _-thud-_

Nope... Even now his antlers were too big to make it through. He let out a sound of distress, dropping the blanket from his mouth as he repeatedly tried to get inside... But it seemed like he could not even pass through the front door. He let out a whining sound and looked at the mother with almost pleading eyes, tilting his head and perking his ears, as if a little puppy would do when begging.

The mother blinked as she heard a thud and looked at the elk. She gripped her fists behind her back to keep from laughing. She had children so she had to find some way to keep from laughing at the many crazy things they did and this way worked best for her. She did crack a smile, though. Holly walked over and put her hand on his head, giving him an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Lord. Just stay here, then. Not much else I can do. Maybe I will talk to Will about making the doors in the house bigger." She said, feeling bad for getting his hopes up but found there was no taking it back now. She took the blanket from him and put it over him at least trying to be that nice before she went inside for the night.

The elk pouted, watching the door, then stomped in annoyance. He snorted and reached behind to take the blanket in his mouth once again. He will not rest until he got inside! Giving one more snort, the elk again tilted his head and tried to enter but just as before he couldn't get his antlers past the doorframe. Giving a noise of annoyance, he tried again and again but in the end he ended up getting stuck... He whined when he realized this, then pulled a little stronger and got free, leaving -although small- scratch marks on the wood. He stayed still after that for a while, watching it, before nearing it again but instead turned his head to look to the side to his right, actually managing to get inside the house this way.

Lilly's mom looked at the elk and couldn't help a giggle as he forced his way in.

"Um... Lord there is another one." She pointed out, gesturing to Lilly's door. "Lilly is asleep, so be quiet, though." She said, putting a finger to her lips with a warning in her voice. If he woke up the little girl... she would have him kicked out so fast he wouldn't know what happened.

Lord snorted, accepting the challenge, before starting to walk up to the next door, being mindful of the items within the house, trying to not knock anything down with his antlers. He looked at the smaller door and did the same he did before, turning his head to the right and went in this way, stepping inside, then towards the bed of the little girl. He perked his ears as he watched her sleep, then looked down at the blanket he was still holding and with a quick move draped it over her current covers. After this, the elk slowly laid down himself beside the bed and put his head on the sheets, watching her as she slept.

The mother giggled as she watched him, then looked back at the boy.

"Well, I think that was enough excitement for one day. How about you?" She said jokingly before pointing at the bowl, thinking it was about time she got some answers about its contents. At this point, she wanted to allow the boy to finally go home and get some rest. She felt like he had been high-strung for long enough now.

The elf smiled at her and sighed, his shoulders slumping as he relaxed, relieved that the little girl was back in her room, safe from the dangers of other illnesses. His gaze turned towards the bowl as she pointed towards it, then picked it up and held it out to her.

"This is for Lilly. For the itch." He smiled, his mood lifting, knowing that at least he could help in something. "Dragon tongue with milk and honey. Just apply to the skin and it should soothe the itching." He figured this might be enough for a week or more... Well, if Lord will not end up licking it off... Elven elks love dragon tongue...

Holly smiled as she took the bowl, looking over the contents.

"I will rub it into her skin while she sleeps. I am sure it will help her sleep wonderfully tonight." She said, then leaned over and patted the boy's head. "Now you should go and I mean home this time. If you start to feel any signs of itching or feeling sick, come here right away. I will explain to your parents what is going on. Since they have never had chicken pox either they could also catch it... and the older you are... the more harmful it could be." She warned him. Although it does not infect anyone while the signs on the skin appear... There might be a danger that Naril did catch it while they spent time together days ago.

"Oh... alright. Do you think I caught it just by watching her from a distance? And would I have to stop training if I caught it?" The elf asked, tilting his head slightly, worried that this might put a stop to his daily activities for a while. He wasn't familiar of how long this all might last. He also dearly hoped he won't catch it... It doesn't look nice and he was sure as being an elf, he would take it worse than a species that was used to this...

"Maybe. I don't know for sure. I would have to ask Hyano but I think it might be airborne. So, yes, there is a risk you could have caught it just being here. As for your training... that is likely up to you. If things aren't too bad then we can just place some of this on you and you can go train with the boys still. They have all had it before and you can only catch it once, so it will be fine for you to be around them while you have it." She replied with a smile and stood up. "Come on, sweety. Time to go."

Naril smiled and nodded, then after saying his goodbye he ran off and back towards his home. After all this he actually forgot about the lunch box again but that wasn't on his mind anymore. He was just happy that Lilly could be helped, she was alright and will feel just fine without suffering from the itchy skin, thanks to the mash his parents made.

* * *

 **Aaaand cuuuuut!**

 **Now, we have Asteri twice in the story by now and we are also sure our Readers don't quite know what to make of him. Who is he? What happened to him? Who was his student? Sooo many questions.**

 **We did not forget to clear that up.**

 **In the next weeks, we are planning to release a new side-story, in which you can get to know this particular wizard and his past.**

 **So stay tuned!**

 _CA Productions_


End file.
